1985's Etak, the original in-car navigation computer

[beschizza]

Originally published at: https://boingboing.net/2024/04/16/1985s-etak-the-original-in-car-navigation-computer.html

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[stinkinbadgers]

@beschizza

The second key invention was a ‘heading up’, moving map display. This meant that the vehicle remained at the center of the screen and the map moved and turned under the vehicle. What you saw ahead of you in the windshield was what was displayed on the screen. This proved highly intuitive.

Ehhhhhhhh… Depends on how your brain works. I’m more likely to become confused when a map doesn’t have north at the top. So I actually hate that and find it very unintuitive.

Everything else about this though is fantastic.

[theophrastus]

surely by 1985 all of James Bond’s Aston Martins had electronic car maps?

(from 1964 Goldfinger)

[arteitle]

@stinkinbadgers

I’m more likely to become confused when a map doesn’t have north at the top. So I actually hate that and find it very unintuitive.

Then you would’ve liked this even earlier navigation system from 1981, Honda’s “Electro Gyrocator”. It had a physical map printed on a transparency with a CRT behind it, which showed simple marks for your location through the film.

Honda Gyro-Cator Navigation System 1981