Citroën has updated the navigation and telematics system which is fitted as standard to all new Berlingo, Dispatch and Relay vans.

Citroën Relay van

Following news of Citroën’s updated 2012 van range, the company has announced improvements to the Trafficmaster Smartnav and Trackstar stolen vehicle tracking package which is now fitted as standard to all Berlingo, Dispatch and Relay vans.

Enhanced Navigation

The navigation system has been improved with a new, larger 5-inch colour screen and the choice of 2D or 3D mapping throughout the UK and Europe (although European routing costs extra).

Other features include:

– A choice of mapping colours.
– Visuals of the route overlaid on the map, as well as next direction and distance displays.
– Auto-zoom function, plus additional pan and zoom facility.

The service also comes with three years’ worth of subscriptions to the data services necessary to use the Trafficmaster system:

– 3 years of dynamic navigation.
– 3 years of stolen vehicle tracking.
– 3 years of automatically downloaded traffic information for congestion avoidance.
– 3 months of ‘Safe Speed’ safety camera alerts.
– 10 free calls to Trafficmaster’s Personal Assistance service.

Messaging Service

When used in conjunction with Trafficmaster’s optional fleet management tool, Fleet Director, the colour screen allows two-way messaging, providing the fleet operator with clear and safe communication to all vehicles on the fleet.

This subscription service is unlikely to be of interest to van hire companies but will certainly become more widespread amongst van operators – as it already is in large corporate fleets.

Emergency Assistance – SOS

Citroën has also taken this opportunity to introduce an integrated Emergency Assistance service. By pressing the SOS icon on the screen, driver’s can summon either breakdown or emergency assistance, depending on whether they choose the B-Call or E-call option.

All B-Calls go directly to The AA to ensure the fastest possible response. Other emergencies, such as accidents or driver medical problems, are handed directly by Trafficmaster via the E-Call facility. Trafficmaster then liaise with the emergency services. When the driver uses the E-Call function, the driver’s details and GPS location are transmitted simultaneously to Trafficmaster. This feature is soon to be replicated for the B-Call function to The AA.

What I didn’t realise is that European legislation will require all new vehicles to have this kind of functionality by 2015 – perhaps marking the beginning of the end of emergency telephone boxes on motorways.

Our children are going to grow up wondering how anyone ever used to survive before mobile phones…