Satellite navigation (SatNav) is a lot older than previously thought. In fact, it’s even decades older than man-made satellites themselves. This fantastic contraption, called the ‘Routefinder’, showed 1920s drivers in the UK the roads they were travelling down, gave them the mileage covered and told them to stop when they came at journey’s end.
The technology – a curious cross between the space age and the stone age – consisted of a little map scroll inside a watch, to be ’scrolled’ (hence the word) as the driver moved along on the map. A multitude of scrolls could be fitted in the watch to suit the particular trip the driver fancied taking.
The system has several obvious drawbacks – a limited number of available journeys, and the inability of the system to respond to sudden changes of direction. Also: no warning of road works or traffic jams ahead.
Not that there were that many traffic jams in 1920s Britain. The Routefinder, one of many bizarre patented gadgets now on display at the British Library, didn’t take off because there were too few drivers, i.e. potential customers, at that time in Britain. Or maybe also because it was a bit impractical, distracting drivers from what they were supposed to watch – the road.
Many thanks to Toni Hudzina for sending in a link to this story (here on ananova).
That is brilliant!
Comment by SubtleKnife — September 28, 2008 @ 3:43 pm
Like AAA’s Trip-tiks.
Comment by zhoen — September 28, 2008 @ 4:19 pm
These devices, of course, have nothing to do with satellite navigation. However, satellite navigation *is* ancient—just base your course on the moon.
Comment by David Trimboli — September 28, 2008 @ 4:49 pm
I want that thing!
Comment by Björn — September 28, 2008 @ 4:59 pm
This may actually be the neatest thing I’ve ever seen in my life. I want one! Thanks for bringing it to our attention.
Comment by Greg — September 28, 2008 @ 5:48 pm
I say, Jeeves! Are you quite sure this will get us to Blandings?
Comment by Aaron — September 28, 2008 @ 6:18 pm
That is fantastic. It caught my eye because I actually live in Guildford :-)
I think I will stick with my TomTom though!
Comment by Simon — September 28, 2008 @ 7:54 pm
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Pingback by SpaceBit » 314 - Watch the Road: World’s Earliest SatNav — September 28, 2008 @ 8:19 pm
[...] Strange Maps — Watch the Road: World’s Earliest SatNav [...]
Pingback by Stralau-Blog — Schöner sterben am Wasser » Blog Archive » Links von Montag, 29. September 2008 — September 29, 2008 @ 12:00 am
I like this one a lot. Very cool.
Comment by Kris — September 29, 2008 @ 1:03 am
[...] Watch the Road: World’s Earliest SatNav — I’m not sure if this is for real or not, but it’s amazing and hilarious either way. Seriously retro tech. [...]
Pingback by [links] Link salad, shamefully delayed | jlake.com — September 29, 2008 @ 3:03 am
That is a very clever thought. I wonder what else, map and non map, was once invented only to die a quick death, and then be resurrected decades later.
I’m finding this so cool that I can’t even construct grammatical sentences!
Comment by Lurker — September 29, 2008 @ 3:11 am
Quality! If talking on your mobile whilst driving is now banned I can imagine watch-scrolling wouldn’t be too popular with the authorities these days either!
Could tell the time like this too, scrolling on once every minute… hang on….
Comment by Discover Unearthed — September 29, 2008 @ 9:20 am
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Pingback by the good old days » Blog Archive » Turn right in… wait, I need to scroll the GPS — September 29, 2008 @ 3:33 pm
This kind of thing is still around. Roadbooks for Rally Car racing, and nearly the identical thing for off-road motorcycles.
http://www.ascycles.com/detail.aspx?ID=43802
Comment by chris — September 29, 2008 @ 4:02 pm
Fascinating. I have a 1930’s British road atlas that has very similar maps printed in strips down the page, as well as more conventional maps.
A much-developed moving-map navigation system using specially prepared paper map strips was used in some military jet aircraft for a while. I saw this type of system in a Hawker Harrier jet in the mid-1980’s. Movement of the map was synchronised to the plane’s speed.
Comment by White Horse Pilgrim — September 29, 2008 @ 6:37 pm
It seems useless to me because of the very small window. You’d have to scroll it every minute or so, and it would give you almost no information about the route more than a very short distance ahead.
Comment by Rich Rostrom — September 30, 2008 @ 5:37 am
[...] Man glaubt es kaum, aber bereits in den 20-ern gabs in England den praktischen Routenplaner in der Gre einer Armbanduhr. [X] [...]
Pingback by Dauerfeuer Verarsche » Blog Archive » 20-er Jahre GPS — September 30, 2008 @ 6:09 am
Can I buy one? It’s probably better than the SatNav I already have!
Raf
https://uzar.wordpress.com/
Comment by Raf Uzar — September 30, 2008 @ 7:45 am
Trimboli FTW. Everyone’s calling this “first sat nav” what rot! It’s an in-car interactive navigation display, that much is true…
Comment by sweavo — September 30, 2008 @ 9:52 am
I find myself curiously fascinated by the word “opponent” visible on two of the scrolls. Does anyone know what that meant in this context?
Comment by Ken — September 30, 2008 @ 2:04 pm
They’re just slightly more high-tech versions of earlier road maps, showing roads and landmarks.
I’m away from my books, so I can’t check how far they go back.
Comment by green_knight — September 30, 2008 @ 3:15 pm
Thanks, Zoehn. You beat me to the punch.
But seriously, the AAA’s trip-tics pretty much took this idea and put them in book form. You’d get a set of them showing the routes and cities you’d be traveling through.
Probably the biggest drawback for the Routefinder is that the Routefinder doesn’t have enough context of what’s around it. You just get the immediate area around you without any idea of what’s around it, where you’re coming from or where you’re going.
Comment by Don H. — September 30, 2008 @ 5:45 pm
[...] the satnav 30 09 2008 This looks incredible, but this may be the first satnav – only there’s no sat, so maybe it’s just a [...]
Pingback by Watch the satnav « Re.Mark — September 30, 2008 @ 8:37 pm
[...] via I believe you will lead me to a life of crime via Strange Maps [...]
Pingback by SATNAV | all of the above — October 1, 2008 @ 12:25 am
Dates back to medieval times. Scroll of roads and cities for the use of pilgrims on the way to the Holy Land especially. Nice, linear display of what is actually wiggly and curvy.
Comment by boq — October 1, 2008 @ 12:54 pm
[...] note: Republished from the Strange Maps blog. Thanks [...]
Pingback by Kelso’s Corner » Blog Archive » Watch the Road: World’s Earliest SatNav (Strange Maps) — October 1, 2008 @ 2:43 pm
[...] Via strangemaps [...]
Pingback by riccruz.com» Blog Archive » Strange maps: Wrist watch — October 1, 2008 @ 3:55 pm
Freaking awesome.
Comment by michael5000 — October 1, 2008 @ 8:05 pm
Nice…
http://dorion55.blogspot.com
Comment by dorion55 — October 2, 2008 @ 10:36 am
[...] Maps: World’s Earliest SatNav – a series of paper strips on a scroll, in a wrist-watch. Very clever. This entry was written by [...]
Pingback by cafedave.net » old-school sat-nav — October 2, 2008 @ 10:47 pm
[...] | Tags: garmin, gps, routefinder, sat-nav, satellite navigation | I saw with interest today this blog which carries a photo of what could possibly be the world’s first ever in-car satellite [...]
Pingback by The world’s first ever GPS sat-nav for your car…? You decide « The GPS Addict’s Blog — October 3, 2008 @ 7:49 am
Fascinating material. I reckon that “old” method of direction is just as good as a friend’s GPS that took us home by the longest route. Just more toys for the boys. GPS are excellent machines in a strange land, but who needs a GPS where one knows all the short cuts anyway.
Really enjoy the blog. Thanks.
Comment by Ross — October 3, 2008 @ 3:14 pm
[...] Watch the Road: World’s Earliest SatNav Filed under: Uncategorized — strangemaps @ [...]
Pingback by SatNav Without the Sat — 1920’s GPS? | GPS Tracking ROI — October 5, 2008 @ 1:28 am
But will it direct you onto a railway line or not?
Comment by Dave — October 5, 2008 @ 7:59 am
This is an incredible find and fascinating. I remember a story that they wanted to close the U.S. Patent Trade Office (PTO) in 1900 because everything that could be discovered had been discovered.
Well that would have been premature without this device.
Comment by Denton Burr — October 5, 2008 @ 3:30 pm
Love this gadget! A logical extension of the strip-map, which has been used by travelers in the UK for at least two centuries.
See: http://www.antiquemaps.com/uk/norfolk/28106.jpg
for example.
Comment by lichanos — October 6, 2008 @ 1:18 am
[...] into the degree project mindset I found this interesting blog about maps. One curious entry is this portable route finder from 1920s. » Filed under Interaction Design by vitorio at [...]
Pingback by Old-times GPS at Interaction Design Umeå — October 6, 2008 @ 2:39 pm
[...] első negyedének őrült találmányai között. Rögtön itt van ez a steampunk GPS, amit a Strange Maps ajánlott a térképrajongók [...]
Pingback by Gőzbicaj és mechanikus gps | miafene — October 8, 2008 @ 9:59 pm
Aaron, above, may have explained why Bertie never got to Blandings.
Comment by Anton Sherwood — October 16, 2008 @ 12:29 am
Congratulations for this interesting finding, and for the funny and … I might say philiosphical comments you do about it!
Comment by ari — October 16, 2008 @ 2:26 pm
[...] GPS was not the first method of navigation assistance as told in this entry of Strange Maps. [...]
Pingback by GPS and All « Jim’s Garage — October 19, 2008 @ 10:23 pm
Скажите, а у вас есть RSS поток в этом блоге?
Comment by Claus-Reader — October 27, 2008 @ 7:33 pm
Cool very creative work… Nice blog subcribed to your Rss Feed…
Comment by DKNY Watches — October 28, 2008 @ 8:58 am
[...] Maps, a delightful little site that has quickly become one of my favourites, tells the story of the “Routefinder,” a dapper-looking set of wrist-mounted scrolls that provided [...]
Pingback by mapquest, 1920’s-style — October 29, 2008 @ 4:44 pm
very nice article.thanks..
Comment by Minty — November 17, 2008 @ 10:39 am
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Pingback by Blastr.tv » Blog Archive » Blastr 49 - Spam, Electronic Contact Lenses and World Hunger — November 17, 2008 @ 9:58 pm
Thankyou verymuch
Comment by sampan — November 20, 2008 @ 2:53 pm
Wow…Thats like the most retro-futuresque gadget. Ever.
Comment by Anz — December 3, 2008 @ 1:12 am
[...] analoge Navigationssystem von [...]
Pingback by “Strange Maps” « “11d nennt sich dieser Haufen!” — December 6, 2008 @ 9:23 pm
The most retro-futuresque gadget ever is NOW…
Meet AquaSketch – http://www.aquasketch.com
Here is the same idea created and patented by a jazz musician/artist who wanted to draw and take notes underwater. Its being used worldwide – most notably by NASA astronauts in training at the Johnson Center NBL as well as Marine biologists at WoodsHole Oceanographic Institute.
The product holds pre-printed maps and charts which are very useful in the underwater environment, as well as blank scrolls for writing notes and communicating. It can also be used above ground for taking notes in extreme conditions or when you can’t use both hands for writing/holding clipboard. Motorcycle enthusiasts are loving it, as are kayakers, hikers, utility workers, construction workers, etc. Its brand new – only been on the market a year. Drop us a line, let us know what you think.
Patti Mollica
VP Customer Service, Aquasketch, Inc.
Comment by Patti — December 11, 2008 @ 6:42 pm
These GPS systems are just so amazing and wonderfull.They provide you with both vocal and geograpical directions.The most amazing thing with them are the arrows that direct you on where and how to turn. tracing you way out is made simple by these systems so you dont just need to be holding a paper map around.It just requires you to know how to use which is very easy.I will advice any body who finds difficulty in tracing his way out to get one and try it out.
Comment by Eugene Tingwey — February 10, 2009 @ 4:35 pm
An automotive navigation system is a satellite navigation system designed for use in automobiles. It typically uses a GPS navigation device to acquire position data to locate the user on a road in the unit’s map database. Using the road database, the unit can give directions to other locations along roads also in its database.These portable navigation systems can help you get from point A to point B with audible driving directions, color maps, points of interest, and much more. This is an incredible technology!! You will never get lost!!
Comment by Mukemfor — February 10, 2009 @ 4:39 pm
An automotive navigation system is a satellite navigation system designed for use in automobiles. It typically uses a GPS navigation device to acquire position data to locate the user on a road in the unit’s map database. Using the road database, the unit can give directions to other locations along roads also in its database.These portable navigation systems can help you get from point A to point B with audible driving directions, color maps, points of interest, and much more. This is an incredible technology!! You will never get lost.
Comment by Mukemfor — February 10, 2009 @ 5:10 pm
The Global Positioning System (GPS) is a satellite-based navigation system made up of a network of 24 satellites placed into orbit by the U.S. Department of Defense. GPS was originally intended for military applications, but in the 1980s, the government made the system available for civilian use. GPS works in any weather conditions, anywhere in the world, 24 hours a day. There are no subscription fees or setup charges to use GPS. Satellite navigation dates back a lot longer than many people realize. The principles behind SatNav were first tested back in 1967, but it took nearly 30 years before the NavStar GPS System first began operation as a military application in the mid 1990s. Civilian use of GPS navigation was made available soon after the military launch, but the initial costs of using the system were very high, and required ongoing subscriptions to be paid. The first people who took advantage of GPS were pilots, and surveyors, who needed to be able to measure distances with pinpoint accuracy. In the early days , an affordable GPS auto navigation system was out of reach for the average car owner.
Comment by Alex Godda — February 10, 2009 @ 7:13 pm
[...] real-life steampunk technology: a wristwatch which shows Google Maps-style navigation, made in the 1920s. Respond / Trackback / RSS 2.0 Post a [...]
Pingback by Adam @ Dusk » Real-Life Steampunk — February 14, 2009 @ 11:44 pm
The Garmin Sat Nav is an impressive navigation product. It supports all the normal navigation features you would expect from a satnav system, such as being able to plan routes by the fastest or shortest route, journeys by bicycle or pedestrian routes on foot. There is also an Off Road mode which provides point-to-point routes, without regard for roads. If you take a detour or wrong turn whilst travelling then be rest assured that any garmin satnav system will be able to recalculate the route and get you back on track. This is really incredible and amazing!
Comment by mukemfor — February 16, 2009 @ 12:25 pm
fishfinders are the best GPS that will give you acces to what you want as concerns fishing.They are excellent because they are made up of mounting brackets,displays and trasducers.Unless otherwise specified each unit comes with all you need to install and operate the fishfinder. Options to transducers and mounting systems are available in the accessory sections of each of the fishfinder manufactures.They are just perfect and will help you to know where to go to for fishing
Comment by eubel — February 16, 2009 @ 1:42 pm
Multiple panels of this type of map were actually the first road atlases, half a millennia ago.
Designing one does require a lot of adjusting of scale and orientation, but it’s perfectly comprehensible. When you come to a bend (say, an intermediate town on a route between two larger towns), the map overshoots it by half a map-width, and then you get a repeated map of the intermediate town in a different orientation, same scale.
Comment by anonona — March 4, 2009 @ 12:57 am
[...] I first saw these photos, this primitive nav system looked like something straight out of a Michael Gondry movie. It really is quite [...]
Pingback by Notebook | Wrist Nav — March 25, 2009 @ 8:38 pm
[...] téléphone mobile comme terrain et outil de jeu en s’appuyant sur une géolocalisation par GPS. En mettant en place le jeu Mogi, les concepteurs prennent comme décor la ville de Tokyo. Ils [...]
Pingback by MÉNAGER LE TERRITOIRE « tapuscrit — April 1, 2009 @ 10:01 pm
Among the many options that are available for those of you who are interested in obtaining equipment that will assist you in finding your way on long and short trips there are options that can be used along with your laptop or PDA devices. You will find these types of devices that are geared towards as many different budgets as the actual stand alone systems.
Comment by auto navigation — April 14, 2009 @ 4:21 pm
As we are running a removal business for some time now. I can assure with experience of constantly being on the road that this system will revolution the way we drive. GREAT article.lol
Comment by Thierry — April 17, 2009 @ 1:42 am
[...] boys are scheduled to leave for college in the morning. American Graffiti. Each has his own doubts. They spend a final evening cruising the strip and have every adventure [...]
Pingback by American Graffiti, 1973 — May 2, 2009 @ 11:28 pm
thanks for this map
good
luck
….
Comment by Solomon — May 11, 2009 @ 9:02 am
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Comment by GarminGPS — June 20, 2009 @ 9:47 am
[...] Strange Maps makes mention of the ‘RouteFinder’ – the oldest navigation system in the world. The [...]
Pingback by Oldest Nautical Chart and Oldest Navigation System in the World | Vector One — June 28, 2009 @ 7:54 pm
Garmin Nuvi 265WT
Garmin’s nüvi 265WT improves upon its 200-series predecessors by adding free real-time traffic updates from Navteq (for the life of the device) as well as Bluetooth connectivity to your cell phone. Other significant improvements in the 2×5 series include a predictive technology that provides faster satellite lock, a redesigned screen with more information, terrain maps, and an exciting new photo navigation feature. The 265WT provides complete maps for North America and the handy Text-to-Speech feature, so you get turn-by-turn spoken directions with the real names of streets (e.g. “turn left in 50 feet at Nebraska Way”, rather than merely “turn left in 50 feet”).
Comment by meena — June 30, 2009 @ 12:47 pm
Vielen Dank
Comment by moon — July 3, 2009 @ 5:27 am
Muchas gracias
Comment by sun — July 4, 2009 @ 7:50 am