Cobra NavOne 4500 to include real-time traffic info

Cobra Electronics has followed up on their NavOne 3000 GPS unit with the NavOne 4500, which will add real-time traffic info. Although Cobra is a little vague on how the traffic info will be supplied, we assume it's likely to be NAVTEQ's real-time data, which is what Sirius and XM both use for their traffic services. The NavOne 3000 already uses NAVTEQ maps with its GPS system. Pricing hasn't been announced; the NavOne 3000 currently retails for about $850. (Yes, we know the picture is lame, but it's all Cobra is supplying for now.)
 

[wxrman @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Real time traffic for a FEW cities that have it available.

[Patrick @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

I'll supply real-time traffic info:

Boston: a mess
NYC: a mess
LA: a mess

See, not real hard, is it?

-p-

[Subliminal Fusion @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

#1 - sure, but they're the only cities that really need it anyway...

#2 - your data is incomplete, you really need to add:

Washington D.C.: a mess
San Francisco: a mess
Seattle: a mess

[Jonathan @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

I have mixed feelings about the real time traffic system.

In my Cadillac EXT, I have a touch screen DVD GPS system that simply shows you overhead maps and shortcuts to different destinations or points of interest.
My girlfriend just got a brand new ACURA TL with real time traffic navigation.
I like her system more than the one in my car but, I noticed a few things:

#1 the system can't show you an accident that hasn't been reported yet.

#2 the system shows innacurate average speeds on a given roadway.

#3 if there is a severe traffic alert, you may get re-routed through very bad territory.

#4 XM NAV TRAFFIC costs money per month. Gps by DVD does not. I'm not willing to pay for XM radio because my EXT has a 6 disc changer.

[Joe @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Good points Jonathan but the TL doesn't have realtime traffic... the RL does. (RL costs 20k more than the TL).

I think this sounds promising for those who don't drive a 50k car, which is the only way to get a stock real time traffic nav at this time.

[WOV @ Dec 19th 2005 1:36AM]

Other issues aside, does anyone know of a means to get NAVTEQ's traffic data without one of these devices? (Or where they get it? If they just had someone sitting on the police / EMS scanners, you'd imagine it would be nearly instant; if they're relying on cams / state DOTs (DsOT?) / a call-in network / partner radio stations or similar, I could see it being much slower (albeit more detailed.))

You have to wonder what would be the effect of a high societal penetration rate of these; I could see people getting routed off the BWI parkway onto a two-lane through Mennonite country; awesome for the first 100 people who do it, but at about 500, someone else is going to crash or slow down, and now you've just got your choice of a two or six lane traffic jam.