My Way or the High Way

GPS-based navigation systems have become an essential part of motoring in recent times. In the past, sat nav systems are only available in high end luxury cars like limos. These days, Average Joes are able to enjoy the luxury of using a sat nav if they buy a portable set or tick the expensive factory fitted sat nav option on the options list when they purchase their cars. The latter may cost up to five-figure money, depending on the manufacturer so it's not often that car buyers opt for a factory fitted sat nav with their cars, unless, of course, if they come as standard.

Volkswagen though, plans to change this by offering GPS sat nav as standard on 12 of its models. The 12 models range from the popular Golf Sport to the Phaeton flagship saloon and they will all be fitted with the RNS family of navigation systems that uses GPS to give drivers directions at every part of their journeys. In addition, they are equipped with a whole range of entertainment and communication options for added convenience and to improve the overall driving experience.

Now, you might say that, "I don't need a navigation system as I am pretty familiar with - can we use ‘with' please? the roads in Singapore!". Well, if you're one that shares the abovementioned sentiments, I advise you to think again. I've have had the opportunity to use the RNS 510 radio navigation system, which will be standard in the Golf Sport, Scirocco models, Golf GTI, Golf R, Touran Sport, Tiguan Sport and other models on a couple of occasions in recent times and came away suitably impressed with its usability.

In Singapore, I can easily find my way to ulu places and roads that I've not come across before. Sure, you don't need a GPS if you're one that makes the same daily commute day in day out and hardly venture away from the comfort of the same routine during weekends (i.e. like always going to the same venues for the Sunday family dinner for example) but the more adventurous will probably want to visit some unfamiliar or new places to explore on a weekend. With the RNS 510, one can simply key in the destination as an address, a point of interest or even a location on the map and the voice guided system will get you to the desired destination in either the most direct way, fastest way or by taking the eco route. With the eco route option for example, you probably can enjoy greater fuel savings, supplementing the fine efforts of the car's TSI and DSG technologies to improve efficiency! Even if you know where you're going, the system might be useful in the sense that it might be able to suggest a shorter or more direct route to your destination than you can think of or ever imagine.

The usefulness of the RNS 510 when you drive up for that driving trip in Malaysia is simply unprecedented. As the RNS 510 comes with a NAVTEQ supplied map that includes Malaysia in addition to Singapore, you can fully utilize the system while driving in Malaysia. I've used the RNS 510 set in a Tiguan Sport on two different occasions in Malaysia - to Penang and the Cameron Highlands. It brought me to the destination via the most direct route, making the driving trips painless and seamless.

On both occasions, I had a portable sat nav set along with me as well. Needless to say, it wasn't as intuitive to use as the VW factory fitted system and the long driving trips exposed major downsides of portable systems. These disadvantages include the need to place the devices near the windscreen area to receive the desired satellite signals which I find rather distracting when I'm driving as it will be within my line of sight. These sets also lose satellite signal easily when you go into a car park or a tunnel, something which the VW system won't do that easily. In addition, the portable devices' limited battery life means you need to keep it connected to the 12-volt socket almost permanently and this will result in unsightly cables in the car - something that you won't need to do with a factory fitted system like the RNS 510.

Moreover, the factory fitted VW system offers a bigger screen on the centre console for easy reading at a glance. In addition, directional arrows and instructions are repeated on the multi-function display within the instrument cluster.

Other additional features in the navigation system include the option of viewing the map in 2D, 3D or topographically, clear map reproduction thanks to the 6.5 inch TFT colour display and an intelligent split screen function to call up additional information alongside the map.

In addition to GPS based navigation, the technologically advanced RNS 510 offers a whole list of additional features to enjoy the drive. With DVD playback capability on the screen, an in-dash 6-disc CD changer, an AUX input for your external MP3 or iPod device and an SD card reader for you to transfer MP3 files into the 30GB internal hard disk (20GB for music as 10GB is used for navigation data), the RNS 510 is more than just a navigational tool, but a one-stop infotainment centre that suits all needs and desires.

The models that come standard with the RNS 510 are the Golf Sport, Golf GTI, Golf R, Scirocco, Scirocco Sport, Scirocco R, Touran Sport, Passat CC, Passat CC Sport, Tiguan Sport, Touareg and Phaeton.

This special feature is brought to you by Volkswagen Centre Singapore.

Credits: Story and Photos by Raymond Lai