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Most drivers who own cars with built-in GPS systems use phones for directions

money.cnn.com

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Re: Most drivers who own cars with built-in GPS systems use phones for directions

#21

Post by ChrisRR »

jbob2000 wrote: post #12
RankingMember wrote: post #2

It never made sense to me why you'd want to have a built-in GPS these days when modular devices are available that are A. generally better-designed and B. replaceable. People buying used cars in the coming years will be stuck with these big-screened dinosaurs in their dash that are essentially wasted space.

My car has voice-control, so I press a button on the steering wheel, speak my destination, and I'm good to go. It works really well. I can't do this easily on a smartphone while I'm driving. The "big-screen dinosaur" is incredibly helpful for showing routes and directions, much better than the dinky smartphone screen.

"Ok google, navigate to "

Re: Most drivers who own cars with built-in GPS systems use phones for directions

#22

Post by antisthenes »

Built-in car systems are usually at least 5 years behind the current tech, whether it was CD players, a USB port or whatever GPS system they started putting in.

As an example - I have a car with a USB port, but the music player interface is so atrocious and is missing key features that it's actually worse than my Sansa Clip from 2008. The car is a 2012 model.

Re: Most drivers who own cars with built-in GPS systems use phones for directions

#24

Post by arbitrage »

Jemmeh wrote: post #16
jbob2000 wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

My car has voice-control, so I press a button on the steering wheel, speak my destination, and I'm good to go. It works really well. I can't do this easily on a smartphone while I'm driving. The "big-screen dinosaur" is incredibly helpful for showing routes and directions, much better than the dinky smartphone screen.

Bluetooth headset + phone gives you the same functionality. They even have bluetooth buttons you can attach to your steering wheel if reaching up to your ear isn't something you want to do. Easily replaceable, cheaper, better design.

Now you have to keep track of chargers, and kludge things onto your car. A button on your wheel, a holder on your window or clipped somehow onto your dash.

No thanks.

Re: Most drivers who own cars with built-in GPS systems use phones for directions

#25

Post by drivingmenuts »

I'd be perfectly happy if my car just had a dock for my iPhone, with an amp for the speakers. I use my phone for anything music, gps or phone-related while driving.

The only time I don't use it is when I can't get the friggin' bluetooth to connect right away.

Re: Most drivers who own cars with built-in GPS systems use phones for directions

#26

Post by Tomdarkness »

RankingMember wrote: post #2

It never made sense to me why you'd want to have a built-in GPS these days when modular devices are available that are A. generally better-designed and B. replaceable. People buying used cars in the coming years will be stuck with these big-screened dinosaurs in their dash that are essentially wasted space.

The reason I have it built-in is it integrates with the head-up display meaning I don't have to take my eye off the road to see directions.

Re: Most drivers who own cars with built-in GPS systems use phones for directions

#27

Post by Bartweiss »

jmcdiesel wrote: post #10

Bad UI, quickly out-of-date data, required trip to dealer to update said data, and lack of traffic awareness makes them just useless compared to something like Waze.

Last time I used a car GPS, it told me I was in for a 20 hour drive across the northern midwest. Google Maps helpfully turned that into 4 hours, by recognizing the major highway missing from the car system. A highway, I should add, at least ten years older than the car.

The struggle for Waze is keeping their traffic data up to the minute, the struggle for cars is keeping their roadmaps on par with a decade-old atlas.

Re: Most drivers who own cars with built-in GPS systems use phones for directions

#28

Post by jmcdiesel »

Bartweiss wrote: post #27
jmcdiesel wrote: post #10

Bad UI, quickly out-of-date data, required trip to dealer to update said data, and lack of traffic awareness makes them just useless compared to something like Waze.

Last time I used a car GPS, it told me I was in for a 20 hour drive across the northern midwest. Google Maps helpfully turned that into 4 hours, by recognizing the major highway missing from the car system. A highway, I should add, at least ten years older than the car. The struggle for Waze is keeping their traffic data up to the minute, the struggle for cars is keeping their roadmaps on par with a decade-old atlas.

Waze continually gets me to work through back roads and side streets in 20 min, a trip that in traffic on the "normal" routes takes roughly an hour... Maybe one day cars will have GPS on that level built in... but for now... nope

Re: Most drivers who own cars with built-in GPS systems use phones for directions

#29

Post by Overtonwindow »

jasode wrote: post #11

Another reason not mentioned by the article is map updates . Lexus charges $169+ to update the map data and requires a dealer appointment. A smartphone with google/Apple maps is always more up-to-date. If you're buying a new car today, the reason to get navigation is for the LCD screen and not for the GPS. The LCD is used to see the rear view camera image for parking. Also, playing music shows the song titles.

Agreed. Why pay Ford when I can get the update for free on my phone.

Re: Most drivers who own cars with built-in GPS systems use phones for directions

#30

Post by Overtonwindow »

cesis wrote: post #19
jasode wrote: post #11

Another reason not mentioned by the article is map updates . Lexus charges $169+ to update the map data and requires a dealer appointment. A smartphone with google/Apple maps is always more up-to-date. If you're buying a new car today, the reason to get navigation is for the LCD screen and not for the GPS. The LCD is used to see the rear view camera image for parking. Also, playing music shows the song titles.

I would love a rear-view camera that could display on my phone

Give that to the kids and it will entertain them for hours. By hours I mean fifteen minutes.
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