The MapQuest PND extends MapQuest's maps and directions service beyond Web sites and into the car, the Denver-based company said. Concord, Mass.-based, TomTom was chosen as the hardware manufacturer because MapQuest, a subsidiary of America Online Inc., believed it offered "the latest technology and the best consumer experience in personal navigation devices," Austin Klahn, chief technology officer for MapQuest, said in a statement.
The MapQuest PND, designed to be mounted on a car's dashboard or attached to the windshield, uses a global positioning system to determine a person's location. The device has a touch screen for inputting destination and choosing from several routing options, such as "quickest," "shortest," or "avoiding all toll roads." Maps in 3D and graphics depict a car's progress toward the destination.
The MapQuest PND is scheduled for release next month at a retail price of $699.