Now 'sat nav' can help pedestrians

Satellite navigation could soon be available to pedestrians.

The electronic map system used in cars has been transferred to a card which can be used with mobile phones.

Described as the "first ever truly personal navigation system" by manufacturer Tomtom, the device will enable people to be guided around. The company says it could be in the shops this year.

The Tomtom Mobile 5, which comes as a mobile phone package, can be tailored to the user's needs, with addresses of attractions, bars and restaurants tapped into the card.

It comes on the back of the hugely successful in-car devices, and can be used by cyclists or pedestrians.

Costing about £200, the Tomtom Mobile 5 will be accurate to within 50cm, give one-way systems, and even be able to tell which side of the road the user is on.

It can find a destination from a postcode alone and will be able to store people's addresses as well as phone numbers, guiding the user to the door.

If connected to the internet, it will be able to give a weather forecast for where the pedestrian is going.

Tomtom, which was Europe's largest seller of in-car devices, said a self-contained version would be available later.