Local Search Drives Forward

The first of its kind system connects to the Internet through wi-fi or cellular networks and will allow consumers to find anything from the nearest Starbucks to a plumber – all from driver’s seat of their vehicle.

“For the first time, drivers will be able to leave their homes knowing that they can easily find whatever they need - right from their car,” said Dash Navigation Chief Executive Officer, Paul Lego in a prepared statement. The system will first be released in California in the spring and it will become available to the rest of the U.S. in the fall.

For example, if a user needs doughnuts or bagels for a morning meeting they would type bakery, stores or doughnuts into the search area. The system then gives a list of matches ranked by relevance, like a traditional Yahoo local search. From there the user simply presses a button to get directions to specific businesses. Yahoo ratings and reviews are also offered on some search criteria.

Tags: local search, Yahoo