VAUXHALL has defended on safety grounds its decision to position the navigation system Carin out of the driver's line of vision in the Omega. Drivers have complained that it is impossible to consult the screen while driving, making it difficult to find the correct lane when driving in urban conditions.

But Vauxhall claims the location of the Carin screen at the foot of the central console was a deliberate move to stop drivers taking their eyes off the road. A spokesman said drivers would soon get used to listening to Carin's verbal commands, and would not need to glance at the screen for duplicate directions.

Originally it was expected that Carin would be positioned on the Omega's multi-function display screen where radio and computer readings are given, but safety reasons and the higher cost of the screen required by Carin compared to the standard multi-function display have seen it positioned lower down the dashboard. Carin is fitted as standard to the Omega 3.0 V6 Elite and is a £1,500 option throughout the rest of the range.