Navigation Gripe Session

[Driven2WIN]

[bitch session]
Chrysler must have gotten the navigation data very cheap (or free). The problem that we have with the Navigation is - Chrysler gave us Old Data!

I have the latest that they give out (AC), and it is still three to five years old!!!

To get the latest or even one year old data, it would cost them a few extra bucks. I guess that they did not think that their customers were worth it. I can't believe that they have not even offered us the option of purchasing more current data. I would buy it right now! Actually, with a $50,000 car, I think that I should have gotten the most current data free for at least the first year.

I just came back from a three day business trip to Gainesville, Ocala, Tampa, the I-4 corridor, and Orlando. I was constantly given wrong turns and bad addresses. There were businesses that had moved or changed names two to five years ago that were listed incorrectly. Streets were either not listed or were were showing in the system but were not there.

The itinerary function is very lame. I could only put five stops in the system at a time. This is a waste of my time. I should be able to plan and place at least 10 or 15 stops in the system. This would allow me to properly utilize the Nav system planning my whole day without wasting time.

Additionally, I should be able to load the Nav's Address book from my laptop, PDA or phone. This would allow me to plan and set up my trips in my office rather than sitting in my car. I would like to see the Nav system communicate via Bluetooth with a desktop, PDA or cell phone software. Can someone create an aftermarket link???

It needs to utilize a satilite up/downlink to give us the very latest data. I would pay a subscription for that. My son gets the very latest data on his Blackberry for $10 per month and did not have to make an $1800 investment into a nav system.

This stuff is so bad, I have found several Chrysler dealerships which have moved, been sold, or changed names still under the old name and address and not under any new name. I also found that it had Superchips address wrong - they moved over two years ago.
[/bitch session]

[JustForFun]

Yep...that about sums it up.

Whattya gonna do?

JFF

[Driven2WIN]

Originally Posted by JustForFun

Yep...that about sums it up.

Whattya gonna do?

JFF

Guess, all I can do is bitch moan and complain.

I sent a note to Chrysler asking for more updated data. Hope they will give me that option. I will keep you informed.

[stevesrt8]

I'm wondering if I heard correctly that the head unit is an Alpine product.

Maybe they could help if that CD isn't proprietary Chrysler stuff.

[DanRealtor]

I looked at Acura's prior to buying my $60,000 (out the door) Chrysler. The Acura Nav system has everything including real time Traffic and construction info. Any of you computer whizzes know if it would be possible to buy and install and activate an Acura Nav system into my Chrysler? (not kidding)


Dan

[Driven2WIN]

Originally Posted by DanRealtor

I looked at Acura's prior to buying my $60,000 (out the door) Chrysler. The Acura Nav system has everything including real time Traffic and construction info. Any of you computer whizzes know if it would be possible to buy and install and activate an Acura Nav system into my Chrysler? (not kidding)


Dan

Yeah! Acura's voice-activated Nav system is da bomb! I would love to have that one.

[mathijskok]

The data used for any nav system is a 'collected system'. Collected from many sources that are combined in a laborious process. Much of that actually involves chreap cars driving round with students and cameras strange enough.So the data is never up to date, that is just not possible. I am pretty sure the data Chrysler is using is the latest they could buy.

Old mistakes can take many years to be removed because it needs to be confirmed by actual collected new data. You will find enough example of this on every forum on sat nav.

Personally I use three sat nav systems, one in the Landcruiser, one in the 300C and TomTom on a hand held. All have 2005 databases and all have weak points. The system in the Landcruiser is the best because of the software, not because of the database, in fact I believe it is the same as the Chrysler. The TomTom software is a lot better and the database is better as well, but the small screen and lack of additional heading and speed input a build in system can provide (and that helps you navigfate when sata data is not received (you know how many underground highway exits there are in Paris?)). Sat nav systems are at best a rather good help and I can only laugh at people who believe the systems and databases are fool proof.

Now I am not sure if this is only on European systems, but my system does receive weather/traffic and other information and incorporates it into the navigation. This is a part that actually works very well and it saved me many hours of traffic jams. It probably also saved me some tickets as it also warns for police controls in many European countries. Only last week I wondered why the system wanted me to divert from a very standard route I drive weekly. So I ignored it, only to end up for an hour waiting for a road to be cleared of a zillion rolls of toilet paper, hahaha.

[JustForFun]

Originally Posted by mathijskok

Now I am not sure if this is only on European systems, but my system does receive weather/traffic and other information and incorporates it into the navigation.

HUH!?!? Are you saying that your the Stock REC Navigation system that comes on DCX vehicles receives weather and traffic reports???

How? This is a DVD based system - not GPS. The satellites are only used for tracking and not data downloads.

If European cars really do get this, I would LOVE to hear more about it!! Pictures would be nice too!

JFF

[Belmont CJ]

Originally Posted by JustForFun

HUH!?!? Are you saying that your the Stock REC Navigation system that comes on DCX vehicles receives weather and traffic reports???

How? This is a DVD based system - not GPS. The satellites are only used for tracking and not data downloads.

If European cars really do get this, I would LOVE to hear more about it!! Pictures would be nice too!

JFF

From my understanding most of the DC nav units are set up to use TMS, traffic monitoring. In the UK this is disabled for some reason. Our grand cherokee had a Pioneer touch screen system which utilised TMS and it was great in major cities. The info is collected via the FM band similar to the atomic clock tuning. Locally this was best received on Classic FM! Fortunately you didn't have to listen to the station from which the data was being received.

Tom Tom also has live traffic but uses a bluetooth link to your mobile and dials in every 15 minutes to receive updates.

[mathijskok]

Originally Posted by JustForFun

HUH!?!? Are you saying that your the Stock REC Navigation system that comes on DCX vehicles receives weather and traffic reports???

How? This is a DVD based system - not GPS. The satellites are only used for tracking and not data downloads.

If European cars really do get this, I would LOVE to hear more about it!! Pictures would be nice too!

JFF

The TMC data comes over FM radio signals, not from the sattelites. I am not sure how common this is in the US, but it is nothing special in Europe, almost any sat nav system delivered these day has it. Actually it does not receive weather reports, but only traffic reports that have a code and a location. But these codes can include fog, ice, snow etc. In principle the system can do far more, even find parking space etc, but most of these functions are not implemented.

Some pictures attached, at the moment I took them (phone camera, sorry for the fuzziness) I was at home and so far from civilization that I did not have any update, here in rural france coverage can be a bit lagging, but since I am two hours drive from the nearest highway I can understand that.