Sightseeing Car Navigation Screen: What Should Operators Look For?

A sightseeing car does not usually need a complicated dashboard. For many years, a speed display, battery indicator and a few warning lights were enough.

Things are different now.

A sightseeing car may spend the whole day moving around a resort, hotel, golf course, theme park or tourist attraction. The driver may need to find a particular building, follow a fixed route, take visitors to several stops and stay inside a designated area.

A small instrument panel cannot really handle all of that.

This is one reason we are seeing more interest in sightseeing car navigation screens. The screen is no longer only there to show vehicle data. It can become the main interface for navigation, maps, vehicle information and, depending on the project, some vehicle management functions as well.

Why a Traditional Dashboard Can Be a Problem

Think about a sightseeing vehicle operating in a large resort.

The driver knows the general area, but there may be dozens of roads and different passenger stops. Some roads are for service vehicles only. Others may lead to a hotel entrance, restaurant, parking area or scenic spot.

A normal dashboard does not help much with this.

Using a mobile phone is an option, but it creates other problems. The phone may not be bright enough in direct sunlight. Rain is another issue. It also means the driver is switching between a vehicle dashboard and a separate navigation device.

A dedicated sightseeing car GPS screen puts the map where the driver actually needs it.

It also leaves room for other information on the same display.

GPS Navigation for Sightseeing Vehicles

Normal road navigation and sightseeing vehicle navigation are not exactly the same thing.

A sightseeing car often runs on private roads or paths inside a property. These routes may not appear correctly on ordinary road maps.

For a hotel or resort, it can be much more useful to have a map made around the actual site.

The map might include:

• Hotel buildings
• Tourist attractions
• Restaurants
• Parking areas
• Charging stations
• Passenger pickup points
• Service areas
• Restricted roads

With a custom map, the navigation screen can show the places that matter to the operator instead of filling the display with information that has little use inside the venue.

This is particularly useful for large scenic areas where drivers change regularly or where new routes are added over time.

Outdoor Visibility Matters More Than Many Buyers Expect

A screen can look great on a factory test bench and still be frustrating to use outdoors.

That is something we pay attention to when discussing sightseeing vehicle projects with customers.

Most of these vehicles are open or semi-open. They are exposed to sunlight, rain and dust. A screen that is easy to read indoors may look quite different when the sun is directly above it.

A high-brightness display is therefore worth considering.

The viewing angle, screen size and mounting position matter too. There is no single screen specification that works for every vehicle. A small hotel shuttle may need something different from a large sightseeing vehicle used in a theme park.

Waterproofing Is Part of the Design

Outdoor use also means water has to be considered from the beginning.

A navigation screen installed on an open electric vehicle can encounter rain, water splashes and high humidity. The display housing, connectors and installation method all have an effect on reliability.

For projects that require it, a waterproof display can be developed for the intended environment.

The exact protection level should be selected according to the vehicle structure and actual working conditions rather than simply choosing the highest number on a specification sheet.

That is an important point when comparing different suppliers.

Touchscreen Makes the System Easier to Use

Most operators do not want drivers dealing with a complicated menu while driving.

A touchscreen gives the system a straightforward interface. The driver can check the route, select a destination or switch between navigation and vehicle information without using a separate device.

The interface can also be designed around the project.

For example, one customer may want the navigation map to be the main screen. Another may want battery information and vehicle status to remain visible at all times.

There is no reason both projects have to use exactly the same interface.

Custom Voice Guidance for Tourist Routes

A sightseeing vehicle is sometimes part of the visitor experience itself.

In that case, navigation does not have to stop at showing a line on a map.

Voice guidance can be used to tell the driver where to turn. It can also be adapted for tourist applications, such as announcing a scenic spot or the next passenger stop.

For example, instead of simply displaying a destination, the system could provide a message such as:

“Next stop: Lakeside Viewing Area.”

The actual voice content can be prepared around the customer's route and application.

This is one of the areas where a tourist vehicle navigation system can be quite different from a standard car GPS.

Remote Lock for Shared Vehicles

Some sightseeing vehicles are used by different employees throughout the day.

A physical key works, but managing keys becomes less convenient when a fleet grows.

For certain projects, a remote lock function can be added to the system. An operator can control vehicle access without handing the same physical key from one driver to another.

A QR-code-based lock and unlock method is also possible depending on the project design.

This can be useful for hotels, resorts, rental operations and other businesses where several vehicles are managed by one team.

Electronic Fence for Vehicle Control

Navigation tells the driver where to go.

An electronic fence can help define where the vehicle is supposed to stay.

For example, a resort may want sightseeing cars to remain within its property. A tourist attraction may have several operating zones, with some roads restricted to staff or service vehicles.

With GPS positioning and electronic fence functions, these areas can be defined in the system.

This is not something every sightseeing vehicle needs. But for a fleet operator managing multiple vehicles, it can become a useful part of the overall system.

Vehicle Information Should Still Be Easy to See

Adding navigation does not mean removing the information from the original dashboard.

The display can bring both together.

Depending on the vehicle and hardware configuration, the screen may show:

• Speed
• Battery level
• Mileage
• GPS position
• Navigation route
• Vehicle status
• Warning information

For the driver, having these details on one screen is simply more convenient.

For the manufacturer or vehicle integrator, it can also make the dashboard cleaner.

What We Would Check Before Choosing a Screen

When a customer contacts us about a sightseeing car navigation project, the first question is usually not “Which screen do you have?”

We normally need to understand the vehicle first.

Where will it run?

How much sunlight does it receive?

Is it completely open?

What screen size can fit into the dashboard?

Does the customer already have a map?

Does the vehicle need GPS only, or also remote lock and electronic fence functions?

Will the product be sold under the customer's own brand?

These details can change the hardware and software requirements quite a lot.

A sightseeing car navigation screen for a small hotel shuttle does not necessarily need the same configuration as a system designed for a large tourist attraction with dozens of vehicles.

OEM and ODM for Different Sightseeing Vehicle Projects

At HiSound, we manufacture car electronics and vehicle display products, and we also work on customized projects.

For sightseeing vehicles, our approach is not simply to take a standard car screen and put a new logo on it.

Depending on the project, we can work with customers on screen size, housing, logo, user interface, language, map, navigation functions and other hardware or software requirements.

The system can be developed around functions such as:

GPS Navigation + Custom Map + Waterproof Display + High-Brightness Screen + Touchscreen + Voice Guidance + Remote Lock + Electronic Fence + Vehicle Information

The actual combination depends on the vehicle.

Our customers may be sightseeing vehicle manufacturers, golf cart companies, resort operators, distributors, system integrators or brands looking for an OEM/ODM supplier.

That is why we prefer to discuss the vehicle and application before recommending a configuration.

A Navigation Screen Is Only One Part of the Solution

For a sightseeing car, the display is becoming more than an instrument panel.

It can show the driver where to go, provide information about the vehicle and, when required, connect navigation with vehicle management.

For a hotel, resort or tourist attraction, that can mean a more practical driving experience and a cleaner way to manage the vehicle fleet.

If you are looking for a sightseeing car navigation screen, sightseeing car GPS screen, electric sightseeing car display, or a complete tourist vehicle navigation system, send us your vehicle information and required functions.

HiSound can discuss the hardware, software and OEM/ODM requirements with you and develop the display around the actual application.