Abstract: While the vehicle is traveling on a highway, the controller searches facilities located within a specific distance from the next exit of the highway, on the basis of the map data contained in the CD-ROM and the current vehicle position measured by a position measuring device, and provides the result to a display controller. The display controller superimposes on a displayed map image on a monitor the searched facilities as well as the distances from the relevant highway exit. The controller also searches a guide route to a facility selected by the user, stores it in a route guide memory, and executes route guidance to the facility on the basis of the guide route stored in the guide route memory. Thus, the invention provides a navigation system whereby the user can find facilities located within a specific distance from the next exit of the highway.

Abstract: A navigation system provides route guidance to a destination even when a facility in an unmapped area is input as the destination. When a facility in an unmapped area is input as a destination, the navigation system obtains a guidance route to an appropriate freeway exit near the facility, thus guiding a vehicle along the guidance route. Subsequently, the navigation system displays an arrow indicating the direction from a vehicle position to the facility and a linear distance from the vehicle position to the facility, thus guiding the vehicle to the destination. The guidance is provided until the vehicle arrives at the destination.