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Where to buy: www.garmin.com

I haven't used independent satellite navigation for a while. My mobile phone has largely replaced any navigation equipment I have needed for years, and my current car is like many other cars. If I really need it, it will be equipped with in-vehicle satellite navigation.

But this is not the same for all cars. If you rely on your phone, losing your data signal at an inappropriate time may mean that you can't get any guidance. This is a particular problem if you are abroad, because although the European Union has eliminated mobile roaming charges, most networks impose certain restrictions on the data you can use every month outside of your home network. Mobile phones can also be distracting, with endless meaningless notifications popping up while you are driving, although smartphones now have various functions that can be reduced to necessities if you remember to activate them.

Therefore, separate satellite navigation devices may still have a place.

DriveSmart 76 is one of Garmin's latest GPS device series, with smart functions such as voice control, real-time traffic and driver alerts to warn of potentially dangerous curves, speed changes, etc. Pair it with your smartphone via the Garmin Drive app and it will become an extension of your smartphone, while allowing you to comply with the law, providing notifications and hands-free calling.

DriveSmart 76 is in the middle of the new series. The satellite navigator is slim and stylish, equipped with a large, high-quality, 7-inch touch screen, far better than your smartphone, allowing you to intuitively understand the upcoming route.

However, the key to it is that it is easy to set up. Assuming you are outdoors and the satellite signal is good, you can start using it in less than five minutes. It will first ask you some basic questions, and then discuss more involved data, such as your car brand and model, and build an overview of its environmental impact. This informs the environmental zone warning on the device, allowing you to avoid areas that might exclude your vehicle due to emission levels.

Other smart functions are realized through a smart phone connection and can be completed with just a few taps. This is also where you enable Alexa, which can then be activated via the button on the top of the satellite navigation.

Your satellite navigation can also be used to play music via Bluetooth connection. The speaker is not spectacular, but it will fill in the gaps when necessary.

However, you don’t need a phone connection; satellite navigation itself can do many things. Garmin has its own voice command system, just say "OK, Garmin" to trigger. You can ask it to find places, addresses, locations near towns, saved place names, favorites, or ask for route information. You can also change the route, make a call, or change the volume. Unlike Alexa, you don't need to touch the device at all.

As you would expect from Garmin, the navigation elements are excellent. Of course, the usual warnings about not to blindly follow satellite navigation apply, but in general, satellite navigation perfectly guides me to my final destination without trying to send me into a dead end or one-way street, or lose the signal .

Drive Smart 76 is far from the old satellite navigation system in appearance and function. The high-quality 7-inch display is just the right size-not too big, and not too small-allowing you to easily view it when it's your turn without having to squint at the screen.

The ability to link it to your smartphone means you can get notifications for important messages and other useful features, but you don't need to do this.

Software updates can be clumsy and take a long time to download, so don’t try to add a new map 10 minutes before departure. Once started, the process cannot be interrupted, otherwise it may cause problems for the entire satellite navigation.

In addition, 260 euros, this is not a casual purchase. Unless you feel you will get use from a separate satellite navigation, this may be a "good" purchase, not an essential one.

Built-in Alexa will appeal to some people, but for others who think digital assistants are privacy taboos, it will be an unwanted feature.

If you have a compatible wireless reversing camera, you can connect it to a satellite navigation system to display your lens.

In a world where smartphones have dominated, Garmin provides a compelling case for independent satellite navigation.

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