The Toyota Yaris is to be sold with a turn-by-turn satellite navigation with Electronic Traffic Avoidance (ETA).

The DVD-based system is designed to provide ‘quick and efficient’ route finding and to ‘think’ its way around any congestion detected by ETA on the road ahead.

ETA monitors traffic information from sources such as the emergency services and motoring organisations via an FM radio signal that is picked up even when the car radio is switched off.

When the driver is following a programmed route by means of the satellite navigation, the system uses the information received to pinpoint any hold-ups on the road ahead and determine the impact on the journey time. ETA will then warn the driver of any problems and offer an ‘avoid traffic’ option, which will automatically provide a new route to the destination.

The navigation system with ETA will be offered as a £1,350 (including VAT) option on Yaris Blue, Yaris T Spirit and T Sport models from July 1.