Mapping of off-road trails in South Africa with Isuzu Trailview evolves for a richer user experience
Launched by General Motors South Africa (GMSA) in 2013, Isuzu Trailview is an award-winning interactive tool which enables off-road enthusiasts to preview off-road trails online, before even starting their 4×4 to head off the beaten track. Various off-road trails in South Africa have been mapped with the help of an Isuzu KB 300 Extended Cab 4×4, equipped with a 360-degree camera.
Since launch, the Isuzu Trailview team has continued to tackle some of the most challenging 4×4 trails in the country, capturing and conquering every obstacle, GPS coordinate and mountainous view along the way. This enables visitors to the website to plot their journey and view photos, videos and tips from the trail, even adding their own experiences and sightings with a click of a button.
“Isuzu owners love to take their vehicles away on weekends, to drive on off-road trails or visit family in far-flung areas,” says Isuzu Brand Manager, Mlungisi Nonkonyana. “Trailview is just one way of adding extra value to what Isuzu vehicles already offer. In addition, the enhancements we’ve made allow Trailview to better align with lifestyle activities such as mountain biking and trail running – events which are sponsored by Isuzu.”
2014 brings new enhancements to the Isuzu Trailview portal, which has now been fully integrated into the www.isuzu.co.za website, and which has evolved into a lifestyle gateway, covering not only 4×4 trails but also mountain bike trails and other useful content for the intrepid adventurer who is hungry for camping reviews, braai recipes, must-have gadgets and more.
A brand new user experience
The new Isuzu Trailview portal aims to empower users and offer them an even richer experience. Instead of just navigating the trail forwards and backwards, users can now view the entire trail in a much faster, smoother video-based encounter. There’s also the option of using the 360° button to get a clear view of the surroundings on the trail.
“Switching between the two views is a seamless interaction, thanks to a slick piece of technology,” says NATIVE VML’s User Experience Designer, Thandi Guilherme.
Users can get to grips with a trail by viewing the elevation of the route and jumping to any point of interest on the map. In addition, one can explore the environment using the aerial view to develop a sense for the challenges which lie in wait.
Mountain biking trails have also been added to allow MTB enthusiasts to prepare for the big day – including Isuzu-sponsored events. Each trail includes a review which can be embedded on other websites to increase awareness.
“The improved Trailview site is also designed to work across different platforms, including smartphones,” continues Guilherme. “The mission to be fully responsive is a work in progress and one that is expanding every day, with every new device that hits the market.”
Share the experience
In one of the most exciting changes yet, the new and improved Trailview model allows users to embed each trail on their own websites, much like one would embed a YouTube video. “This is our biggest innovation by far; embedding a custom player across different sites has never been done before. These changes are the start of the next phase in Isuzu’s bid to build a growing, evolving community of outdoor lovers, adventure seekers and trail tourists,” concludes Guilherme.
To enjoy the new Isuzu Trailview experience, visit www.isuzu.co.za/experience-isuzu, follow @isuzusa on Twitter or like Isuzu South Africa on Facebook.
Also view:
4×4 Off-road Driving Techniques and Safety
