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The American arm of Volkswagen has teamed up with Google and graphics chipmaker nVidia to produce an in-car navigation system prototype using Google Earth software. Google and VW say the 3D display is more real looking than anything currently available.

The system is designed to show an "instinctively' recognizable display to drivers and passengers allowing them to see where they are in relation to surrounding topography.

The crews at VW and Google say it will be especially useful in urban areas where building to road size relationships can be hard to capture. The interface includes a birds eye view of adjoining streets and buildings.

The system also includes real time personalized content through a touchscreen providing access to 3D maps and traffic updates. Using wireless connectivity to the web overlays to the 3-D map can include information about restaurants, dealerships, gas stations, and so on.

The joint statement from VW and Google used some dazzling technical lingo that makes even the most technically inept say, "wow."

"With the increasing accuracy of GPS, dead-reckoning and laser-radar imaging, as well as ever-improving car-to-infrastructure communication, this prototype will be available on showroom floors in the near future," read the release.

And all that can be summed up with one more word:

Cool.

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