Press Release: Wikitude Drive Beta – Test Drivers Wanted

Press Release: Wikitude Drive Beta – Test Drivers Wanted

May 20, 2010 in News, Press-Releases, Wikitude, Wikitude Drive 34 Comments

Wikitude Drive, the first mobile Augmented Reality (AR) satellite navigation system with global coverage, launches for test drivers.

Salzburg, May 20, 2010. Wikitude Drive, the Grand Prize Winner of the Global Navteq LBS Challenge 2010 at Mobile World Congress last February in Barcelona, transforms your Android smartphone into a mobile navigation system looking a bit like something out of a science fiction movie…

Driving directions not only appear on screen, they are overlaid on the live video stream of the very street you are driving on. As a result, you are seeing the real world and real road in front of you, while being directed by a digital route on top of it.

Never take your eyes off the road again

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.

Looking for Test Drivers – Community Feedback Wanted

On May 20, 2010, during Google I/O, the Google Developers Conference in San Francisco, Wikitude Drive (beta) will be available in the Android Market for 2000 test drivers based in the US, starting 10am, PST.

During this beta phase, the development team is looking valuable feedback from the community. Please send your responses to drive@wikitude.org.

Wikitude Press Releases: http://www.wikitude.org/category/pressreleases

Wikitude Drive (beta) is fully functional and offers following features:

Augmented-Reality Street-view
3D Map-view
Worldwide coverage
Driving and Walking Directions
Voice Commands

Further Reading: Wikitude Drive Google I/O Update: Test Drivers Wanted

About Mobilizy:

Mobilizy is an early pioneer in commercial augmented reality and the creator of the Wikitude World Browser, which is one of the first practical augmented reality (AR) mobile applications available worldwide. Mobilizy GmbH engages in the research and in-house development of location-based services and augmented (mixed) reality experiences for smart-phones. Mobilizy is one of the leading innovators in developing new methods and applications for data acquisition and exchange in the emerging market of mobile augmented reality. Wikitude is sponsored by the Austrian Wirtschaftsservice (Impulse Program).

MEDIA CONTACT:
media@mobilizy.com
Mobilizy GmbH
Jakob-Haringer Str 5/IV
5020 Salzburg
Austria
Phone: +43 662 45 45 55 – 425

andygstoll

Mobile, Travel and Technology have been the focus of Andy's career in both MNC as well as start-up environments for more than 10 years. Born and raised in Germany, Andy has lived in the USA for 7 years and in Asia Pacific more than 5 years while based in Singapore. He has held multiple senior business development and marketing positions with AOL Time Warner, Lonely Planet and Electronic Arts. Andy holds an MBA and a Bachelor of Science degree in International Business Management from Hawaii Pacific University.

10 Comments

  • Adam R.
    20. May 2010

    OK, so my only question about this amazing app is “How do I get to be a test driver?” Do just the first 2000 people who download it get it?

  • dave
    21. May 2010

    Drive doesn’t work! It keeps asking to update but there is no update on the market place. The internet link fails. Not a good start.

  • Daniel
    21. May 2010

    Please let me try this! Motorola Milestone in Switzerland

  • JayLay
    21. May 2010

    how can i become a test driver? HTC Desire in Spain!!
    please answeer, I’m using GPS all day long!

  • Nicola
    21. May 2010

    Hi,
    Currently our test phase is in the US only. We will add more countries soon and keep you updated on our webpage/Twitter/Facebook.
    Thx for your understanding
    Nicola

  • Seancarlos G.
    21. May 2010

    Hi. Is there a release for the iphone? my friend is trying to download it for the Android. Was the limit of downloads reached?

  • Mimmis Olsson
    21. May 2010

    This is very cool – it’s great that you have come this far in the development process and added more features and content after winning the 2010 NAVTEQ Global LBS Challenge in EMEA. Congratulations and I am really looking forward to the commercial version!

    By the way, there’s lots of photos from the Global LBS Challenge on NN4D’s Flickr stream at http://www.flickr.com/photos/nn4d/sets/72157622304537412/

    Best regards,
    Mimmis Olsson, NAVTEQ Network for Developers (NN4D)

  • Zachary Steinhaus
    23. May 2010

    I have a nexus one, and would love to be a test driver for your app.

  • ISHII, Kiwamu
    24. May 2010

    It’s very cool.

    コレスゴクカッコイイ

  • Konstanty
    27. May 2010

    Waiting for Europe version of your supersoft (htc hero Poland)

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