Morpheous, the company behind the Geodesy range of speed camera warning devices, has launched an all-new system offering what it calls ‘total speed management.’ Called RoadPilot, this serves up the usual Morpheous fare – along with an interesting set of side dishes.From the outside, the RoadPilot looks like any other improbably small piece of modern hi-tech wizardry. Enclosed in brushed aluminium casing is a 3.8-inch touch-sensitive backlit LCD screen, and the whole lot mounts on your dashboard to provide an audio-visual warning of a whole range of road hazard. For the first time, the warning provided by the system will be speed-sensitive. If you approach a camera at less than the speed limit, a visual alert will appear on the screen: do so at above the limit, and it will be backed up by an audible alarm.This doesn’t sound like much, but the RoadPilot also features an Auto Ranging function, which automatically adjusts the range at which the first warning is given, depending on the speed limit for that road. You can also set it up to ignore cameras on the opposite side of the road – though, given the fact that it’s possible to fire a camera on the far side of a dual carriageway while travelling at no more than 15% above the speed limit, you might want to think twice about doing this.These functions are made possible by the use of a new GPS engine, described by Morpheous as ‘the best that money can buy,’ which is accurate to within ten metres. The new system was designed to accommodate future developments and upgrades, including full satellite navigation, which the company says will be downloadable from a PC.‘Around 40 new fixed speed cameras are installed in the UK every week and over 9,000 speeding tickets are issued every day,’ says Morpheous MD Gareth Hopkins. ‘RoadPilot allows motorists to constantly monitor their speed and to have a safe, timely and high-tech warning of these devices and other road safety hazards. Later, with the introduction of new features and additions such as full satellite navigation and communications, RoadPilot will be the only road and traffic information device you will ever need in your vehicle.’Something you won’t have to wait for is a nifty ‘mileage manager’ facility, which allows you to plot all your vehicle movements as separate business, home-to-business and private journeys. Very handy for when you’re working out your expenses claims… though a bit of a downer on the traditional use of creativity in these matters.A basic RoadPilot system will cost you £495 including VAT, next-day delivery and a 12-month warranty. For the top-line RoadPilot plus Radar kit, which uses radar-seeking technology to warn you of people panic-braking ahead as they see plod pointing the gun at them, you’ll pay an extra £300. |
