Navigation just became fun
Image: Nintendo

A lot of modern cars have satellite navigation and as many buttons as Apollo 11, but Toyota has decided that perhaps the whole experience can be a bit more easy-going in the Japanese market, if a bit of Nintendo is thrown into the mix. The car manufacturer has created the Smart Navi car navigational system that uses a DS — and we assume a 3DS — as a navigational remote control.

As reported by Kotaku, Kuruma de DS is a DS cart that links, through bluetooth, with a Smart Navi system and then allows a passenger to use the sat-nav with the DS, through a user-friendly interface that features Miis, maps and sight-seeing information. With a speedometer, quiz and the ability to play DS sound through the car speakers, it sounds like a fun gizmo.

If you live in Japan and fancy giving this a try, however, you'll need to save some serious Yen. The best Smart Navi system is ¥206,850 (US$2,586), while Kuruma de DS is purchased separately through Toyota for ¥7,329 ($92): not a cheap luxury. Still, it's DS satellite navigation, what's not to like?

[source kotaku.com]