Precision Navigation wanted to adapt their programmable hiking compass for use in a vehicle. It needed to provide the full functionality of the hand-held unit in the much busier context of a car interior. It had to be visually compatible with any vehicle and mount easily to windshields or any other interior surface, and be easily positionable, yet stable enough for button operation. It was also very cost sensitive to keep it well below the price of a GPS-based unit.
Strategy
The Co– pilot project was an example of all the various elements of the product needing to work together to meet the desired criteria. No one feature held primacy, yet if all the criteria were not met, the product could not be successful. Development through a careful series of iterations was the key to making the product work.
Solution
We kept the shape simple and the colors neutral to blend with most car interiors. The ribbed elastomer band gives a rugged appearance, helps weatherproof the unit, and includes the buttons, which reduces part count and assembly complexity. We developed a mounting system that allows the unit to pivot through a wide range, yet locks solidly with just a quarter turn on the pivot cap.