Wikitude Drive: Never take your eyes off the road again

August 30, 2010 in Wikitude, Wikitude Drive 130 Comments

Wikitude Drive is the worlds first fully functional mobile AR navigation system with global coverage (for Android 1.6 and above). It is a light weight turn-by-turn navigation system that uses Augmented Reality. Wikitude Drive is scheduled to launch in August 2010. Happy holiday!! Have a safe trip!

The system works by attaching your mobile phone on top of your dash board looking at the road. The application then overlays video captured through the camera with driving instructions. This allows users to literally drive through their phone, watching the road even while they are looking at directions.

Wikitude Drive distinguishes itself from other navigation systems in two ways: First, due to the overlaying of the route onto the live video stream of the surroundings, the driver can easily recognize and follow the suggested route. Instead of looking at an abstract map you are looking at the real world. The navigation system leads the driver through unfamiliar territory in a natural, real and easy way.

Wikitude Drive – Test Drivers Wanted from Wikitude on Vimeo.

Secondly, Wikitude Drive solves a key problem that all other navigation systems have. These systems require the driver to take his eyes off the road in order to look at the abstract navigation map. Just by looking at the map screen for one second when driving at 100 km/h (62 mph), the driver is actually “blind” for 28 meters (92 ft). Think about how much can happen in those precious meters. Since Wikitude Drive provides you with driving directions on top of the live video stream, you still see what is happening in front of you when looking at the display of your mobile AR navigation system.

In some driving conditions however, for example when driving in the dark, a traditional map is in fact advantageous. With just one tap on the cell phone’s touch screen, you can switch between the Augmented Reality view and the traditional 3D map-view. To give you additional navigational directions, voice commands are provided as well.

Navigational data comes from Navteq, a global supplier of mapping and routing information. A future version of Wikitude Drive will integrate with Wikitude World Browser to offer millions of Points of Interests to leverage the full power of the Internet and user generated content.

Latest News

May 20 – May 27 US Beta Test Phase: 2000 US Test drivers are helping us to make Wikitude Drive ready for prime time.

May 27: We are currently analyzing the beta test results from the weekend of May 22. We are also adding features that were requested by all those ambitious testers. Drive savely, stay tuned!

June 1: A few numbers from our test drivers: The drivers drove surprisingly often. The top 3 test drivers drove 115 times, 69 and 61 times!! About 100 drivers drove more then 20 times, and many many about 10 times. This tells us that Wikitude drive, though still in beta, is a remarkable sticky product!

June 21: There will be another Test Drive soon!

July 6: Update: Please send an email to drive{at}@wikitude.org to get a preliminary copy.

July 23: There has been a funny comment from a happy drive user called “Tom”.

I got inside news from the Wikitude Drive team, that they are geting tons of emails asking for a “preliminary copy” of Drive. Since they got so much to do, they can only answer emails that somehow stick out. So the best bet is to tell them a lively story about your 1000 miles vacation coastal drive you are going to start soon. :) That worked at least for me! The need to impress your girlfriend has been reported to help as well . Cheers. –t

We think that this is a pretty good idea. Please send us your lively stories about your urgent need to own a preliminary copy of Wikitude Drive. Don’t forget to tell us your country.

August 30: Hello all, the planned launch date has been initially set to August. There has been a delay due to various reasons. Update: it’s going to be in September. Stay tuned! If you want to help us beta test Wikitude Drive, send an email to drive{at}@wikitude.org and we’ll send you a beta version.

Cheers,
Phil

Finally, Petr from Moscow tweeted a very nice photo of Wikitude Drive being taken on a joyride in Moscow (I wonder how did it got there?). See above.

Fellow drivers, send us you pics from the road and we post them here. (drive{at}wikitude.org)

ar, Navigation, Product, Wikitude