VAUXHALL is the first manufacturer to offer Phillips new CARiN 2 in-car navigation system as an integral part of the car. From next month, the GPS-based system will be available as a £1,500 option on Vectra and Omega.

Systems will be fitted by a combination of retailer and central sourcing, with CARiN-equipped cars sporting a screen above the ashtray to guide drivers through unfamiliar territories. By the end of 1997, the whole of England will be mapped and coverage will be extended further during 1998.

Vauxhall's decision to offer CARiN follows news that almost half the UK has been mapped - from the south east of England to Manchester.