Abstract: A vehicle navigation device including a control unit, storage memory, reproduction unit and map element selector. Road map data is stored in the storage memory. The map element selector selects elements from the road map data. The reproduction unit includes a picture memory and a display screen. The control unit includes a picture composition unit for loading a road map selected from the road map data into the picture memory. The road map represents an area around a selected map element. The picture composition unit also loads a name, generated for the selected map element by the character generator, into a predetermined segment of the picture memory. The picture composition unit also superposes a pattern of data which represents the selected map element. The pattern is displayed according to a predetermined representation standard and is superposed either on the segment or on the generated name. The predetermined representation standard is distinct from standards used for displaying other map elements.