NAVTEQ said that BMW is using NAVTEQ’s road geometry data and related technology in BMW’s Dynamic Pass Predictor, a feature designed to give drivers a better understanding of their opportunity to pass a vehicle in front of them.

Dynamic Pass Predictor combines road geometry data with vehicle speed and sensor-generated information about the speed of the vehicle in front. The navigation screen highlights road sections that require increased attention--such as a sharp curve ahead, a junction, or an upcoming speed limit change--as well as the position of the vehicle in front. With this information that driver can better assess whether it is advisable to pass. The system does not make a recommendation, since it does not include oncoming traffic in its calculations.

Bruno Bourguet, NAVTEQ vice president and general manager of In-Vehicle Sales for Europe, said that software for Dynamic Pass Predictor was developed by NAVTEQ and BMW. "With this technology, map data moves beyond navigation to more sophisticated driver alerts that enhance user awareness of the road and the vehicles around them," he said.