Escort integrates GPS and radar technology in one device

Automotive radar and laser detector manufacturer Escort has announced the release of Passport IQ, which combines GPS navigation and radar detection technology in one handy unit. As well as getting you safely from A to B, the new driving accessory is said to be the first that also protects you from annoying and costly tickets by providing information on red light and fixed position speed cameras, known speed traps, speed limit information and more.

Based on Escort's Passport 9500ix GPS-enabled radar and laser detector, the Passport IQ sports a 5-inch, 480 x 272 resolution touchscreen color display. The navigation software provides voice-guided turn-by-turn directions, lane assist and visual 3D mapping powered by Navteq or detector mode. In either mode, the device is said to offer drivers protection from ticketing threats by overlaying red light and speed camera notifications, speed limit information and high risk speed trap warnings on the navigation screen.

The device benefits from Superheterodyne, Varactor-Tuned VCO, Scanning Frequency Discriminator and Digital Signal Processing (DSP) radar and Quantum Limited Video Receiver and Multiple Laser Sensor Diodes laser detection. It operates on all radar bands, including X, K, Superwide Ka, Ku, and instant-on Pop modes. Multiple front and rear laser sensors are said to offer 360-degree protection, and an AutoLearn feature "automatically learns and rejects false radar sources based on exact location and frequency."

Escort says that its intelligent system can "determine which threats are real and automatically locks out those that are false, including automatic door openers, motion sensors, and other sources that cause competitor radar detectors to constantly false alert when no real threats actually exist." The Passport IQ unit can also be connected to the Internet for updates from the company's Defender Database, which users can subscribe to for the latest safety camera and speed trap locations.

The Passport IQ radar/laser detector with GPS navigation is available now for US$649.95, which includes a free 90-day subscription to the Defender Database.

Escort has also revealed plans to bring Bluetooth and live traffic information to the Passport IQ platform in a version of the device which will allow drivers to connect to a mobile phone for hands-free calling.