M-Nav - A World First

Back in 2003 some engineers at Navman Wireless saw the possibility to create something totally new.

The wider Navman company was already producing the consumer-focused Navman device which gave directions to people to drive to where they wanted. Navman Wireless was also producing a messaging device with a basic screen, a cursor key and some soft buttons to allow trucking companies to communicate with their drivers.

By combining the functionality of two separate devices into one, the engineers created an in-cab mapping and direction finding screen and a device that could send and receive messages. This simple concept became the M-Nav.

It was a ground breaking idea, and Navman Wireless was granted a patent in NZ.

Customers loved the M-Nav. Office staff could use the Navman Wireless software platform OnlineAVL to select the destination, and then send it through to the M-Nav in the cab of the vehicle. The driver in the cab simply pressed Go, then followed the directions to the destination.

The original M-Nav did not have a touch screen. Drivers could read a message and would then reply using a list of pre-loaded options like, “Ok, got that”. “Yes, just arrived.” “No, am still driving.”

When touch screens arrived, drivers could then type more exact replies, and could also search for their next destination from the cab of their vehicle (rather than office staff having to send the information).

Today the M-Nav is still one of the flagship products, although it has developed a lot since it was originally launched. It now provides a fully integrated vehicle tracking, job dispatch and satellite navigation solution in one package, and offers a number of benefits, such as:

• Navigation and routing
• Two-way messaging
• Truck attribution data
• Engine monitoring system (EMS)
• Estimated time of arrival (ETA)
• Message recording
• Driver ID tool
• Paperless, customisable forms
• Signature capture

The M-Nav was the first device of its kind and broke new ground in enabling businesses to run their fleets more efficiently. Today, used in combination with the award-winning DIRECTOR software, the M-Nav connects businesses with the fleet and mobile asset they need to boost the bottom line.