TomTom Debuts New Nav Development Tool

Amsterdam-based TomTom International BV says its new NavKit navigation engine will enable developers to offer route guidance, map storage, map zoom, 3-D images and more on virtually any platform.

The software design tool allows helps developers to design custom user interfaces, including the color and appearance of maps themselves. They also can replace or update features on a modular basis.

TomTom says the new nav engine can update route data faster on the company's own maps or those created under the industry's new Navigation Data Standard protocol.

Other features give drivers the ability to zoom in on touchscreen-enabled maps, use a text-search tool to find addresses faster and edit previously stored routes.

The first commercial product to use NavKit is the TomTom GO portable nav device announced in Europe earlier today.