Product Reviews

Road atlases can be a real pain. Why does your route have to jump from page 36 to 93 and then back to page 45? And how are you supposed to follow your route down those tiny little byroads when you're at a junction and there are cars zooming past you?

What you need is some route-finding software. Simply type your starting point and destination into one of these programs and it works out the route for you. It then creates a list of directions and a printable colour map with your route marked clearly on it. But there is a catch. What if you get lost? If you had an atlas, you could find the page that showed where you were and how to get back on track. If all you have is a print-out from the route finder, there are no other pages to turn to.

Microsoft reckons it's got the answer with AutoRoute 2006. If you buy the most expensive version of Microsoft's latest routefinding software, you get a bundled GPS receiver. These use the signals from satellites to pin-point your exact position at any given time. The product is designed for installation on a laptop that you take with you. Because it would be dangerous for a driver to try and use a laptop while steering, this product is aimed at passenger navigators. If you prefer, you can also buy AutoRoute without the GPS receiver for just £45 - though you'd be limited to using the program as simple routefinder software.

Setting up AutoRoute with GPS was simple. The software was easy to install and the GPS receiver detected and locked on to the satellite system almost instantly.

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AutoRoute immediately opened with the right map - complete with an arrow pointing to our current location. Working out the route to our destination was easy - we told the software where we wanted to go and it worked out the best directions in just a few seconds. Using our notebook's speakers, it gave us street-by-street directions on how to reach our destination.

The problem is, if you take a wrong turning or misinterpret its directions you'll need to instruct AutoRoute to calculate a route from your new and erroneous location to your desired destination. Good satellite navigation systems, like those reviewed in our group test on page 22, do this automatically for you. Sure you only need press a few keys to make AutoRoute recalculate, but this wouldn't be safe while driving, hence Microsoft's insistence that its used only by a co-driver.

Beyond the addition of GPS you'd be forgiven for thinking there's little or no difference between AutoRoute 2005 and 2006 as they look almost identical when running next to each other. Look beneath the skin, however, and the differences quickly become apparent. This latest version of the route planner has details of over 3.2 million miles of roads and motorways throughout Europe, whereas the older version knew of only 2.9 million miles of tarmac. The M6 Toll Road, which was missing from AutoRoute 2005, does thankfully appear in the 2006 version and there are other advances too. AutoRoute 2006 also has a built-in database of over 865,000 points of interest, including cash machines and restaurants. Last year's program only had 800,000. This similarity of look and feel is a good thing. Last year's version of AutoRoute worked beautifully as a route planner and the same is true of this latest version.

If you own a laptop and have a passenger willing to be navigator as you drive this is an excellent system. It is beautifully design and works really well. Again assuming you've got a laptop it's also cheaper than buying a dedicate in-car satellite navigation system, which often cost £200 or more. If you're a lone driver however AutoRoute 2006 is no use to you.