OLATHE, Kan.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), today announced an exciting update to the Garmin Drive™ product line – easy-to-use portable navigation devices (PNDs) that now offer free live services1, providing the freshest, most updated content with industry-leading driver alerts to increase situational awareness and encourage safer driving. The announcement reaffirms the company’s commitment to refine and modernize PNDs with enhancements to its four innovative models: Garmin Drive™, Garmin DriveSmart™, Garmin DriveAssist™, and Garmin DriveLuxe™. The entry-level Garmin Drive™ 51/61 offers versatile driver alerts, while the Garmin DriveSmart™ 51/61 adds smart connected features. Customers looking to record their drive can step up to the camera-assisted Garmin DriveAssist™ 51, and users favoring style can choose the premium Garmin DriveLuxe™ 51 with a sleek metal design. The 2017 Garmin Drive product line is being showcased in the Garmin booth (South Hall #35711) at this year’s Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Jan. 5-8.
“Thanks to the enhanced feature set of our 2017 Drive navigators, it’s easy to see how consumers can benefit and rely on them every time they step in their vehicles,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of worldwide sales. “Free live parking and traffic, plus new travel information lets drivers enjoy the actual ride and save precious time when heading to work, driving on family road trips, or running errands.”
Like its predecessors, the new Garmin Drive navigators equally boast a number of driver alerts. This includes warnings for upcoming sharp curves, railroad or animal crossings, alerts for users driving the wrong-way on a one-way street and more. Drivers also receive alerts for red light cameras2, speed cameras and more. Garmin Real Directions™ simplifies navigation by guiding drivers using recognizable landmarks, buildings and traffic lights. In addition, the all-new Watch Link feature adds navigation to a driver’s wrist. Each navigator in the 2017 product line may be paired with a Connect IQ™-compatible Garmin smartwatch, such as the new fēnix®5 (sold separately), to provide helpful compass guidance from a parked vehicle to a destination and back to the parked vehicle again.
The entry-level Garmin Drive 51/61 adds free real-time services, such as live traffic1, for select models when wirelessly paired with a Bluetooth-enabled smartphone. After pairing to a smartphone, drivers can also enjoy live parking1 information from Parkopedia®, the world’s leading parking service provider. Parkopedia conveniently provides pricing and availability trends for on-street public parking as drivers approach a destination. Other real-time services such as LiveTrack1 allow drivers to share their location with friends – a useful feature to track family members or loved ones during a road trip. What’s more, every road trip will benefit from the new preloaded TripAdvisor® data that comes with all 2017 Drive models. Drivers can see ratings for popular travel points of interest, such as hotels, restaurants and attractions.
The Garmin DriveSmart 51/61 boasts all of the features from the entry-level Garmin Drive models, and adds built-in Wi-Fi® for easier-than-ever map and software updates3 when connected to a Wi-Fi home network. Customers can choose from a 5-inch model or the new 6.95-inch edge-to-edge touchscreen that offers an impressive high-resolution, easy-to-read display. Keeping drivers connected is an essential asset of the Garmin DriveSmart series and is done through hands-free Bluetooth® calling4, voice-activated navigation, and smartphone pairing to receive text messages and app alerts right on the navigation display.1
Garmin DriveAssist 51 builds on the Garmin DriveSmart feature set and adds a built-in dash cam5 with audio recording to continually record and save video footage on impact with the included microSD card. The integrated camera enhances advanced driver awareness alerts such as Forward Collision6 and Lane Departure Warnings.6 To take some of the guesswork out of navigating to new address locations, Garmin Real Vision™ shows a live camera view on the display with an arrow pointing out the specific destination. The “Go” Alert notifies distracted drivers when standstill traffic ahead of their vehicle begins to move. Garmin DriveAssist has the added benefit of being a personal companion if users encounter an incident during a drive. This model can send an automatic text6 to a friend and provide them with the vehicle’s location. Additionally, the navigator’s Travelapse™ feature can turn long hours of driving footage into a short video recap of the adventure. By downloading the free Garmin VIRB® app, drivers can create Travelapse videos and share them on social media.
The stylish Garmin DriveLuxe 51 is a premium navigator that includes the full feature set offered in the Garmin DriveSmart series, framed into a beautiful and sleek metal design. This refined navigator is secured with a powered magnetic mount to easily stow and go.
The Garmin Drive lineup has models with various map regions, display sizes, and navigation features. Suggested retail prices range from $149.99 to $329.99. The Garmin Drive product line is expected to be available in February of 2017. For more information, visit garmin.com/drive.
For decades, Garmin has pioneered new GPS navigation, advancements with camera solutions, wireless devices and applications that are designed for people who live an active lifestyle. Garmin serves five primary business units, including automotive, aviation, fitness, marine, and outdoor recreation. For more information, visit Garmin's virtual pressroom at garmin.com/newsroom, contact the Media Relations department at 913-397-8200, or follow us at facebook.com/garmin, twitter.com/garmin, or youtube.com/garmin.
| 1 | To receive live services and smart notifications on your navigator, you must download the free Smartphone Link app. User’s data plan charges, if any, will apply. Contact your mobile service provider for more information about your service plan’s data and roaming rates. Requires Bluetooth-enabled smartphone (sold separately). | |
| 2 | Red light and speed camera warnings are not available in all regions. | |
| 3 | You will need a computer or Wi-Fi network with sufficient capacity and a compatible operating system to update the software and maps on your device. Connect to a home Wi-Fi network, or any public Wi-Fi network that does not require web browser sign-in, then your navigator’s home screen will show a prompt indicating there’s an update available. Plug in your device into any outlet and let your device update over Wi-Fi while it charges. | |
| 4 |
Requires Bluetooth-enabled smartphone (sold separately). |
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| 5 | Some jurisdictions regulate or prohibit the use of the dash cam feature. It is your responsibility to know and comply with applicable laws and rights to privacy in jurisdictions where you plan to use Garmin DriveAssist. | |
| 6 |
Certain conditions may impair the warning function. Visit Garmin.com/warnings for details. |
About Garmin International Inc.
Garmin International Inc. is a subsidiary of Garmin Ltd. (Nasdaq: GRMN). Garmin Ltd. is incorporated in Switzerland, and its principal subsidiaries are located in the United States, Taiwan and the United Kingdom. Garmin, fēnix, and VIRB are registered trademarks and Garmin Drive, Garmin DriveSmart, Garmin DriveAssist, Garmin DriveLuxe, Garmin Real Directions, Travelapse, ConnectIQ and Garmin Real Vision are trademarks of Garmin Ltd. or its subsidiaries. Wi-Fi® and the Wi-Fi logo are registered trademarks of Wi-Fi Alliance. The Bluetooth® word mark and logos are registered trademarks owned by Bluetooth SIG, Inc. and any use of such marks by Garmin is under license. ©2017 TripAdvisor LLC. All rights reserved. Parkopedia Parking is the property and trademark of Parkopedia Ltd.
All other brands, product names, company names, trademarks and service marks are the properties of their respective owners. All rights reserved.
Notice on Forward-Looking Statements:
This release includes forward-looking statements regarding Garmin Ltd. and its business. Such statements are based on management’s current expectations. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release may not occur and actual results could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting Garmin, including, but not limited to, the risk factors listed in the Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 26, 2015, filed by Garmin with the Securities and Exchange Commission (Commission file number 0-31983). A copy of such Form 10-K is available at http://www.garmin.com/aboutGarmin/invRelations/finReports.html. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and Garmin undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
