Navigon Budget GPS Offers Free Traffic

Following in Garmin’s footsteps with the concept of free traffic updates for even budget GPS devices, Navigon on Wednesday released a new $239 GPS unit that will offer each and every buyer free lifetime traffic updates. The 3.5-inch Navigon 2200T will be the company’s first entry-level unit to offer the service, falling in line with the high-end 7200T it launched last week.

The 2200T picks up live traffic data to show the severity of traffic congestion with color-coded lines, what’s causing the backup, and how to get around it. Currently, the offer includes coverage for 95 markets in the U.S. and Canada.

The unit comes with a number of other features pulled down from Navigon’s high-end units, such as Reality View Pro, which shows 3D images and road sign text to give drivers the cues they need to look for on major highways. Lane Assistant Pro will also tell drivers which lanes to be in, and an advanced text-to-speech engine will translate directions and street names into spoken directions.

Navigon hasn’t yet revealed when the 2200T will be available, but its price has been fixed at $229. Despite the free traffic updates, users will still have to shell out for map updates, which will cost $80 for three years’ worth of coverage.