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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

#61

Post by Someone1234 »

acl wrote: post #50
Zelphyr wrote: post #45

My wife just bought a brand new Toyota Highlander and I can confirm that the nav system is terrible. I can only imagine how much that turd increased the purchase price.

I just got the new Highlander, and can only conclude the nav (and most of the rest of the car UX) was designed by a committee of angry monkeys.

Which is really depressing. Toyota make fantastic vehicles but they're being outclassed by others simply because their infotainment system feels like a relic from the early 2000s.

They've also doubled down on their refusal to not include Carplay/Android Auto. They're putting something called "SmartDeviceLink" which is yet another MirrorLink 1.1 clone (which is itself a disaster), but this time controlled by a different consortium of companies.

Although amusingly the other major auto maker putting SmartDeviceLink in their vehicles, Fort, has already given up and put Carplay/Android Auto into their latest Ford SYNC3 infotainment system software. Leaving Toyota the only major company providing SmartDeviceLink.

I legitimately think Toyota will slump in sales when seemingly every other major manufacturer has Carplay/Android Auto. All because Toyota is greedy and wants to profit off of the infotainment unit rather than the vehicle itself.

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

#62

Post by CalChris »

CarWings on the Nissan Leaf is unusable. Its only advantage is that the map is built in and so doesn't rely on downloading.

You can preload Google Maps onto the iPhone for say Point Reyes. You won't be able to find a route but GPS location and the map should be good enough.

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

#63

Post by CalChris »

CarWings on the Nissan Leaf is unusable. The only advantage is that its map is built in and so it doesn't rely on downloading.

You can preload Google Maps for say Point Reyes. You won't be able to find a route but GPS location and the should be good enough.

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

#64

Post by encoderer »

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

Brand is pearl. Uses a cam on a license plate frame. Never seen it first hand though.

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

#65

Post by dsfyu404ed »

strictnein wrote: post #59
cesis wrote: post #19

Earlier quoted context omitted.

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

I just wish I could have my rear-view camera on while I was driving forward.

It would be nice for a lot of reasons but I think over all the net damage from the distraction would be more than the damage saved by people realizing they forgot to pin the trailer coupler and similar stuff. You don't have many reasons to see that field of view at speed since pretty much every reverse camera basically points down.

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

#67

Post by micfar »

WorldMaker wrote: post #43
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.

Right, the way map updates are priced it seems best to me to update roughly once every five years or so. My habit is to try the car nav first (because there are some things about it that are more convenient, especially the next turn information on mine below the speedometer) and if it doesn't find an address or the route looks somewhat off switch to my phone.

Having worked for a company selling satnavs and mapping, typically an automotive company has some number of map updates that will be released for a given product per year. It generally ranges anywhere from 4 to 1/year. However, there were some instances where it was a single update at the time of release and then no more.

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

#68

Post by Retric »

dsfyu404ed wrote: post #65
strictnein wrote: post #59

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I just wish I could have my rear-view camera on while I was driving forward.

It would be nice for a lot of reasons but I think over all the net damage from the distraction would be more than the damage saved by people realizing they forgot to pin the trailer coupler and similar stuff. You don't have many reasons to see that field of view at speed since pretty much every reverse camera basically points down.

Rear view mirrors are useful while going forward. But, it's fairly easy to block that line of sight in a full car, thus making the rear view camera a useful backup.

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

#69

Post by dsfyu404ed »

Semi unrelated question: Am I the only one who wished navigation apps allowed more precise control of route complexity?

Just a slider that goes between "minimum number of turns" and "most efficient" would be nice. Optimizing a route for complexity vs efficiency is a very important consideration when planning a route. A way to do that in a navigation app would be really nice. I appreciate the intention but taking four extra turns and a one way street or two to save one minute when going somewhere that's one turn off a main road is rarely a good idea. If I'm driving rural state highways for three hours I'd much prefer to go 150mi on two roads than go 120mi on ten roads.

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

#70

Post by Declanomous »

dsfyu404ed wrote: post #69

Semi unrelated question: Am I the only one who wished navigation apps allowed more precise control of route complexity? Just a slider that goes between "minimum number of turns" and "most efficient" would be nice. Optimizing a route for complexity vs efficiency is a very important consideration when planning a route. A way to do that in a navigation app would be really nice. I appreciate the intention but taking four…

Similar thought, but in cities, I'd prefer to cross major streets and make left turns at signaled intersections. I might save 2 minutes on my 30 minute commute, but those are incredibly risky and stressful maneuvers. I use my GPS because it has saved me from an hour of traffic more than once, but I don't need to risk my life to save 30 seconds.
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