Motorhome Navigation
If you’re looking to purchase a new navigation system for your motorhome or camper van, there are a few things you should think about. Compared to the navigation systems designed for cars, there are a few differences and special features to be considered:
For both the driver and passenger the size and readability of the head unit display is very important. Devices that have both a large and swivelling head unit display are of course the first choice here as they make navigation incredibly easy.
Ensuring your head unit has specific motorhome navigation software, (in place of car navigation), is essential for planning your route; as only routes that are suitable for your motorhome will be considered. Narrow alleys, low bridge crossings and many other obstacles can quickly cause frustration on your holiday journey - these criteria and your vehicle parameters (length, width, height, weight), are taken into account when the route is being calculated with good mobile travel software. Maximum permitted speeds for your vehicle should also be displayed.
It is also important to be able to enter specific GPS coordinates, as many parking spaces do not have an address attached to a searchable/specific postcode. The map material should come from a well-known provider such as TomTom or HERE (Navteq) and be kept up to date. Long-standing, free map updates from the device manufacturers are ideal when keeping your maps as up to date as possible .
Additional content such as a large POI (Points of Interest) database to show you parking areas, rest areas, service stations and attractions rounds off a good motorhome navigation system and helps you in everyday motorhome holiday scenarios.
Camera Systems
For large vehicles such as a motorhome, a good camera system is essential and enables safe manoeuvring in parking spaces, narrow aisles and parking spaces as well as when hitching trailers. The "short look backwards" on the motorway also helps to recover after overtaking or, for example, to check the bicycles on the rear carrier.
If you want to purchase a camera system, you should note these points:
Type of camera system: there are simple reversing cameras with one viewing angle, multi-view cameras with multiple viewing angles and a larger viewing range for front and rear, side cameras for monitoring the grey water discharge at the service station, and 360-degree cameras that show your mobile phone from a bird's eye view.
Camera quality: the better the camera, the better the image quality. The camera should have good resolution, be able to depict fast changes of bright and dark environments cleanly, as well as provide good visibility and contrast even in the dark or strong sunlight, overlayable guidelines continue to help with parking.
Easy installation: vehicle-specific or universal installation kits help you to integrate the camera safely and discreetly. Thin cables and plugs make it easier to route the cables. There are also special solutions, such as wireless camera systems, which have their own advantages and disadvantages.
Infotainment
Enjoy movies, DAB+ digital radio, TV programmes and music with a good motorhome system. This makes the journey to the holiday destination more relaxed and entertaining, and you don't have to do without your standard stars or favourite interpretations on holiday.
You should pay attention to the following features when purchasing:
- DAB+ digital radio for noise-free reception of radio stations
- Bluetooth interface for hands-free and audio streaming from your smartphone
- USB & AUX connections enable the connection to other sound sources, such as MP3 players
- Apple CarPlay and Android Auto compatibility in order to be able to control your smartphone apps directly from the dashboard
- HDMI Connection option for additional playback devices such as external DVD players or similar
Think in advance about which external devices or features you would like to use for entertainment and select a suitable device accordingly.
