1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to navigation systems adapted for use with a vehicle, and more particularly to an improved system configured to predictively communicate upcoming conditions to an operator of the vehicle.
2. Background Art
It is well known that speeding is one of the most prevalent factors contributing to vehicular accidents. More particularly, these accidents often result when the rate of speed of one or more of the automobiles exceed the rate of speed for which the thoroughfare was designed. Licensed civil engineers typically design thoroughfares based in part on available site distances due to the vertical curvatures (i.e. K values) of the terrain and intersection obstructions. The thoroughfare is designed, such that a typical driver and vehicle combination having an average reaction time and minimum deceleration capabilities is able to stop when identifying an object of minimal height in its path. Thus, when a vehicle is speeding, it is more difficult and sometimes not possible for the driver to safely steer around the object. Despite the efforts of departments of transportation in posting signage, it is appreciated that a driver may not be paying attention and miss a sign or that a sign may have been removed or obscured, such as by other traffic, foliage, construction, or the like.
To better inform the driver, redundant in-vehicle systems have been developed to inform the operator or driver of the applicable speed limit or condition. For instance, it is known to utilize a Global Positioning System (GPS) or cellular telephone technology and a map database to cooperatively inform the operator of the current speed limit or other indicia. It is also known to calculate or obtain the actual speed of the vehicle, compare it to the applicable speed limit, and signal to the driver when the vehicle exceeds the posted speed limit. It is also known to conduct “marking” or inputting of the speed limits into the database.
These conventional systems, however, are reactionary systems that do not provide predictive means for warning the driver of the upcoming speed limit change or condition. These systems also do not provide means for properly addressing special conditions, such as local time dependent variables, and changes in local time as the vehicle travels across geography. Of yet further concern, these systems also present rigid one-size-fits-all models that do not enable modifications by an operator.