At a glance
Trafficmaster required a satellite navigation application for several mobile platforms, including Symbian, Blackberry and iPhone, which gives a user the ability to enter a destination from a variety of available sources (including postcodes, addresses or a favourites list) and returns directions produced by a traffic-aware routing data platform. This application also ties in to Trafficmaster’s live operator service, Concierge, which assists in locating a user's required destination and is able to send the best routes directly to the caller's phone. Smartnav is an ongoing development and we are still responsible for maintenance of the application and continue to work with Trafficmaster on a number of other applications for their cross-platform mobile suite.
The Problem
Trafficmaster’s Smartnav software provides not only navigation, but also added functions such as roadside assistance, tracking vehicles in case of theft, and intelligent guidance to avoid traffic jams. With the expansion of the mobile application market, Trafficmaster needed to make their award-winning application available to high-end mobile users as well. With high-end mobile devices (such as the iPhone and Blackberry) eliminating the need to buy separate satellite navigation devices, Trafficmaster were basically isolated from a potentially huge user-base. They needed someone to
- Develop a mobile version of their application for devices with GPRS capability.
- Market the application by releasing it to the proper app marketplaces.
- Incorporate user-end considerations when developing applications for driving.
The Approach
Trafficmaster commissioned Avco to develop the software for a range of handsets, including the iPhone. Avco worked closely with Trafficmaster to make the application available through app stores as part of Trafficmaster’s Companion suite of applications, including an implementation of a ‘night viewing’ option to reduce the glare from mobile displays when driving at night. Avco helped Trafficmaster expand functionality by extending its application to support a wider range of mobile devices. All the original features of Smartnav were ported to various mobile platforms, including iPhone, Blackberry, Symbian and Android.
