Automaker navigation could get cheaper with a hybrid navigation unit developed by Harman International for Mercedes-Benz. It's partly integrated into the car and doesn't require the automaker to lock in a navigation design three years in advance. Harman made the announcement in a quarterly financial statement that was reported by TWICE. It's described as a two-piece solution: a cradle-mounted screen with controls plus a hidden processor unit that also includes Bluetooth and music storage. Harman says the device will first appear in eight Mercedes-Benz models in the second half of 2010, mostly likely meaning 2011 models.

From the initial details, it's not clear if Harman has advanced the state of the art or offered automakers a short-term BandAid fix while they figure out why their navigation devices cost two to 10 times as much as portable navigation devices (PNDs). Traditional automaker navigation (as on the Mercedes-Benz C-Class, photo above) costs $1,500 to $2,000.

The cheapest is $1,250, from Hyundai. Update discs cost well on the high side of $100. And a built-in device reflects technology that's several years old (and can't be upgraded other than maps). Automakers say they're held to higher standards than what buyers expect from $200 PNDs. With factory-installed navigation, the controls are integrated, there are no cords that clutter the cockpit, and the windshield isn't obstructed.

The Harman-for-Mercedes device appears to be a first step toward navigation modules that can be developed and certified on quicker schedules, then be mated to the cars on the assembly line or even at the dealership, especially if they work with an LCD display already in the dash.

Another advance would be an open interface to an automaker's LCD display that could be access by a portable navigation device. Automakers (especially German) don't like the idea of a thirty-party device redefining the automakers' definition of the cockpit experience. Apple iPod and Bluetooth cellphones are two big exceptions, of course.

Why it matters: Harman and Mercedes take a first step toward making in-car GPS from an automaker more up-to-date and, possibly, affordable.