Infiniti Launches New Information and Entertainment System

Infiniti's new and advanced in-car information and entertainment system for its European range will be launched at the 2009 Geneva International Motor Show. It will first become available in the new Infiniti G37 Convertible which receives its European debut on the same occasion.

The technology is a joint development by Infiniti and Xanavi. At its heart is a new Hard Disk Drive (HDD) navigation system with a hefty 30GB of memory space. This makes for faster operation and greater data storage capacity.

Among the many benefits are vastly extended mapping which now includes parts of Turkey, Eastern Europe and Russia, as well as a new easy to follow 3D navigation guidance with improved graphics and a more realistic depiction of the road and landmarks ahead. The resolution of the new screen (7 or 8 inch depending on the grade) is up to four times better than the previous generation system.

Real time traffic information is supplied via RDS-TMC. The system suggests route revisions even more quickly to help the driver avoid traffic congestion.

Thanks to its large data storage capacity, Infiniti has been able to expand the rich content potential of the system. Users have access to Point Of Interest (POI) information including the Michelin Green Guide, with comprehensive information on restaurants, services, museums and other tourist attractions in 20 major European cities including London, Paris, Berlin, Rome, Madrid, Frankfurt, Barcelona, Vienna, Milan and Glasgow. A new feature is the option to select a scenic route to the destination.

The system now offers touch screen operation, improving both ease of use and safety not only for the navigation, but also for other functions such as climate control, Bluetooth and entertainment. It is also possible to operate the system using voice recognition, steering wheel commands or via an intuitive control panel influenced by the span of a hand. As a result, the new Infiniti system is the only one in its class to offer four ways to control information and entertainment functions.

On-screen instructions can be displayed in eight different languages - English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, Dutch and Russian - while voice recognition is supported in seven - English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese and Dutch.