It also gives spoken directions. AutoPC from Clarion Canada Inc. of Mississauga is an in-dash system. John Boasman, a Toronto-based sales representative for Trueline Valve Corp., uses the AutoPC to help him visit customers from Chicago to Philadelphia. He says the Odyssey software supplied by his Clarion dealer can take a client's address from his contact list and calculate his route, then give him instructions along the way. To date, only U.S. maps are available, but Mr. Boasman will be among customers testing new Canadian maps this spring.
Canadian coverage is limited to Vancouver and Toronto.
Edward Freedman, a sales representative at TeleType, says the software can be used on its own to plan routes and display detailed maps. TravRoute ,a division of ALK Associates Inc. of Princeton, N.J., sells a system for Windows PCs called CoPilot. Mr. Hunter is not worried. It takes only a quick glance to see where you are, he says. Stacked up against the use of a cellular phone in the car, I don't think it comes anywhere close.