The company was founded in 1985 by Barry Karlin and Galen Collins. Karlin, originally from South Africa, told interviewers that he started the company after being frustrated with a paper map of the San Francisco, California area. He thought 'Wouldn't it be nice if I had someone sitting next to me in the car who knew the way?'[8] Collins created a pilot navigation system in the San Francisco area. However, basic testing showed the system could generate impossible directions. They realized that the system not only had to have accurate maps, but also detailed data on turn restrictions, one-way streets and other local issues.[8]