Amerigon Gets Patent for Audio Navigation System

Amerigon Inc., a Burbank company that develops products for advanced-transportation and alternative-fuel vehicles, said it has received a U. S. patent for its audio navigation system.

The patent is for a vehicle navigation system that speaks to drivers to help them find their destination.

Other auto navigation systems on the market use satellites to pinpoint a car’s location. Although they use some verbal prompts, directions are mainly given on a dashboard screen. Amerigon’s product, AudioNav, does not use satellites but is totally audio and works with a compact disc player. A driver tells the system where he is and where he wants to go, and the system responds with audio commands.

Amerigon said it has received purchase orders totaling $142,000 for prototype AudioNav units from five manufacturers of car compact disc players.