TOM by TomTom

Vanilla’s Silent Co-Pilot

Screen-free road awareness that pairs perfectly with Apple CarPlay

⸻

🚐 INTRO: WHY TOM MAKES SENSE IN VANILLA

Vanilla is not a cluttered van.

It’s curated. Calm. Purposeful.

Every bit of kit in the cab has to earn its place — and that’s exactly where Tom by TomTom shines.

Tom isn’t a sat nav.

It isn’t another screen.

It doesn’t shout instructions or fight for attention.

Instead, it sits quietly on the dash, doing one job extremely well:

watching the road so you don’t have to.

For a campervan that’s as much about the journey as the destination, that’s a perfect fit.

⸻

🍎 THE PHILOSOPHY: LESS SCREEN, MORE AWARENESS

Modern driving is noisy.

Screens everywhere. Alerts everywhere. Too much information, all the time.

Tom takes the opposite approach.

• No screen

• No spoken instructions

• No constant interaction

Just light, sound, and timing — the same way drivers have always processed the road.

It feels old-school in the best possible way, backed by very modern data.

⸻

📱 TOM + APPLE CARPLAY = A PERFECT PARTNERSHIP

Apple CarPlay already does what it does brilliantly:

• Navigation

• Music

• Calls

• Messages

What it doesn’t do particularly well is quiet, peripheral awareness.

That’s where Tom fits in — not as competition, but as a companion.

Together in Vanilla:

• 📱 CarPlay = directions, maps, entertainment

• 🚦 Tom = hazards, cameras, traffic awareness

• 🧠 You = relaxed, informed driver

Tom never duplicates what’s on the screen.

It adds a second layer of intelligence without adding distraction.

This separation of roles feels intentional — almost elegant.

⸻

🌈 TOM’S LED LANGUAGE

What the colours mean — and when they appear

Tom communicates using colour because colour is fast.

Your brain recognises it instantly, even in peripheral vision.

🟢 GREEN — All Clear

Meaning:

Everything’s fine. Nothing to worry about.

Appears when:

• Normal driving

• No hazards reported

• No cameras nearby

Green is Tom’s calm baseline.

It’s essentially saying: “Enjoy the drive.”

⸻

🟠 AMBER / ORANGE — Be Aware

Meaning:

Something relevant is coming up — not urgent, but worth knowing.

Appears when:

• Speed camera ahead

• Speed limit change

• Traffic building further ahead

• Known hazard zone approaching

This is Tom’s polite nudge.

Early notice. No drama.

⸻

🔴 RED — Immediate Attention

Meaning:

Something close by needs your attention now.

Appears when:

• Accident reported nearby

• Sudden congestion or queue

• Active danger zone

• Very close speed camera or hazard

Red is unmistakable, but never aggressive.

It ensures awareness — not panic.

⸻

🔵 WHITE / SOFT PULSE — System Status

Meaning:

Tom is awake, connected, and doing its thing.

Appears when:

• Starting up

• Pairing

• Updating

• Occasionally during normal operation

No action required — just reassurance.

⸻

🧠 WHY THIS SYSTEM WORKS SO WELL

Colour-based alerts don’t interrupt:

• Navigation instructions

• Music

• Phone calls

Your brain processes the colour before you consciously think.

That’s excellent human-centred design.

⸻

🛣️ REAL DRIVING SCENARIOS IN VANILLA

How Tom behaves on real roads, mile by mile

⸻

🛣️ MOTORWAY CRUISING

Scenario:

Adaptive cruise on. CarPlay navigation running. Music flowing.

• 🟢 Green most of the time

• 🟠 Amber appears for traffic building miles ahead

• 🔴 Red only when congestion or an incident is genuinely close

Tom acts like a lookout far up the road — giving you awareness without interrupting anything else.

This is where it truly shines.

⸻

🚦 A-ROADS & DUAL CARRIAGEWAYS

Scenario:

Mixed speeds, changing limits, cameras dotted along the route.

• 🟠 Amber warns early

• 🔴 Red only when relevant and close

No sudden braking. No surprises.

Just smooth, confident driving.

⸻

🌄 COUNTRY ROADS & TOURING LANES

Scenario:

Unfamiliar routes, scenic views, relaxed pace.

• 🟢 Green dominates

• 🟠 Amber for known hazard areas

Tom stays quiet unless something genuinely matters — perfect for enjoying the journey without second-guessing the road.

⸻

🚙 TOWNS & URBAN DRIVING

Scenario:

Frequent speed changes, cameras, busy streets.

• 🟠 Amber keeps awareness high

• 🔴 Red only when necessary

Tom avoids alert overload — something many apps struggle with in towns.

⸻

🌙 NIGHT DRIVING

Scenario:

Late return. Low cabin lighting. Calm atmosphere.

Tom’s LEDs are clear but never harsh.

No glare. No sudden noise.

It preserves night-time calm — ideal for campervan driving.

⸻

🔋 SET-AND-FORGET PRACTICALITY

Tom behaves like proper automotive kit:

• Automatically wakes when Vanilla moves

• No daily setup

• Battery life measured in weeks

• Quiet background updates via the app

Once installed, you stop thinking about it — which is exactly the point.

⸻

🧠 TOMTOM TRAFFIC DNA (THE GOOD STUFF)

Behind the simplicity sits decades of TomTom expertise:

• Speed camera data

• Traffic flow intelligence

• Hazard and incident reports

• Congestion awareness

This is technology trusted by fleets, professionals, and long-distance drivers — distilled into a tiny, calm companion.

⸻

🚐 WHY TOM FEELS MADE FOR VANILLA

• No extra screen clutter

• Complements Apple CarPlay perfectly

• Clear alerts without distraction

• Excellent for touring and long drives

• Fits the campervan mindset: calm, capable, purposeful

It doesn’t feel like an add-on.

It feels installed.

⸻

🍏 THE ONE-LINE SUMMARY (WIX-READY)

Tom by TomTom is the perfect silent co-pilot for Vanilla — adding road awareness without stealing attention from Apple CarPlay or the joy of the drive.

⸻

🍎 FINAL THOUGHT

In a world of gadgets shouting for attention, Tom by TomTom whispers — and that’s its greatest strength.

It watches the road.

It respects your focus.

It fits the rhythm of campervan life beautifully.

A small device.

A grown-up idea.

And a near-perfect match for Vanilla 🚐✨