Navigon Europe
Navigon GmbH was the parent company of all Navigon brands. Navigon was one of the largest GPS brands in Europe and was well established there.
Navigon GmbH sold several models that carried similar model numbers (usually differentiated with the xx10 or xx50 in their number) to those sold in North America. Most of the devices included features and functionality similar their counterparts'.
Additionally, several older Navigon GmbH models were sold under the Transonic name in Europe. These models have since been discontinued, having been replaced by Navigon's then-current offerings.[6][7]
Navigon Inc.
The U.S. subsidiary, Navigon Inc., was formed in March 2004, with Edgar Christen as General Manager, to adapt and market the Navigon product line in the North American market.
Navigon Inc. announced its first OEM agreement in November 2004 with EasyPocketNAV.com, a distributor for portable GPS navigation. EasyPocketNAV.com marketed and sold the OnCourse Navigator (TM) software, based on Navigon's technology platform, which turned Microsoft-powered Pocket PCs into voice guided GPS navigation systems.
In May 2006, Navigon appointed Andreas Hecht as Senior Vice President, General Manager, of the Americas, and in May 2007 as president, General Manager. He replaced Edgar Christen as General Manager and was responsible for Navigon's operations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico, and South America. An authority in the navigation sector, Hecht was a 10-year veteran of Navteq, creators of the world's most widely used digital maps, where he served in senior executive roles in technology and business development in the U.S., Europe, and Latin America.
Navigon Inc. launched three models in the North American market in July 2007. The initial launch included the 2100 (2120 in Canada), 5100, and 7100 models. These models introduced several new features to the North American consumer GPS market including:
In April 2008, Navigon Inc. expanded their line-up with the 2100 Max (2120 Max in Canada) model. This model is functionally similar to the original 2100 but includes a larger 4.3" LCD screen (rather than 3.5") and adds the company's Direct Help functionality.
On October 13, 2008, Navigon announced that Michael Roach, former director of U.S. sales for LG Electronics, would become president of Navigon's North American operations.[8]
Acquisition by Garmin
On July 26, 2011, Garmin confirmed that its acquisition of Navigon was complete. The first line of its press release stated: "Garmin Ltd. (NASDAQ: GRMN), the global leader in satellite navigation, announced today that it has completed the acquisition of Navigon AG ("Navigon"), a privately held navigation provider headquartered in Würzburg, Germany."[4] The electric car manufacturer Tesla Inc. used Navigon Garmin systems in their cars before developing their own system.[10]
Discontinued North American Products
- Navigon 2000S
- Navigon 2090S (RadioShack Exclusive)
- Navigon 2100 Max
- Navigon 2120 Max
- Navigon 2200T
- Navigon 5100 Max
