Beidou to navigate Chinese drivers in 2012

Private car drivers may use cheaper domestic navigation systems in 2012, according to the Beijing News on Monday.

Home-bred Beidou Satellite Navigation System (Beidou), will first cover the Asia-Pacific region in 2012, and spread on to global coverage by 2020, said Sun Jiadong, academician and chief designer of the Beidou project.

The academician of Chinese Academy of Engineering, Liu Jingnan said the Beidou has the functions of navigation and communication.

Liu also revealed that the price of Beidou navigation chips will be cheaper than GPS chips.