Most Drivers Who Own Cars With Built-in GPS Systems Use Phones For Directions - Mostly Out of Frustration (cnn.com)

According to a new survey, many new car owners use their phones for directions despite their cars coming with built-in navigation systems. These users do it out of frustration, the survey added. CNN adds: The market research firm J.D. Power and Associates surveyed owners of new vehicles after the first 90 days of ownership. They were asked about all kinds of new in-vehicle technology including navigation, entertainment and safety technologies like lane-keeping assistance and automatic braking. For the most part, the survey found, people are relatively satisfied with the technology in their cars. On a 1,000 point scale, the average satisfaction score was 730. Navigation systems rated the worst with an average score of 687. Almost two-thirds of new vehicle owners with a built-in navigation reported using their smartphone or a portable navigation device to find their way at least some of the time. Nearly a third of those with built-in navigation used it for less than two weeks before giving up on it and using their phone or another portable device, according to J.D. Power. And more than half of people with built-in navigation systems never used them at all, according to the survey.

Comments

$300 or $400 for map update

[avandesande]

Even more reason to skip in car gps option....

Re: $300 or $400 for map update

[Anonymous Coward]

Yeah. And they charge hundreds for the actual unit in the first place. It'd be cheaper to buy a new Garmin every 6 months than buy an in dash navigation.

Re: $300 or $400 for map update

[MikeOnBike]

I get tired of Chrysler wanting $150 every couple of years to update the maps in my Jeep. I spent slightly less than that on a 4" Garmin with lifetime updates. And of course when I bought it the dealer assures me that free updates are included. BS, what a ripoff.

Re:$300 or $400 for map update

[Sharkus]

Oh I hear you. It's a serious pet peeve of mine. I have a 2014 Kia Forte 5, with the navigation system. They farm out the updates to it to MnSoft, who charge around CAD$300 plus tax for a single update (it's at least $50 for the 16GB SD card the update comes on!) and there are typically two updates a year, so you're looking at CAD$600 plus tax *a year* to keep totally updated. I've contacted Kia Canada and they don't care, they say, it's a third party and there is nothing they can do. Well, more like they don't want to do anything. I've pointed out that a TomTom Go 600 is about $300, and it comes with lifetime maps, ok limited to four updates per year, but that is far far better than the built in solution. When it comes to Android Auto and Apple CarPlay, the 2014 - 2016 models are Gen 3.0 cars and too old to have their system updated for it. Only the 2017+ cars will get it. Well, they *might*. In the US, it's a free update via the myUVO site, but in Canada, unless it's changed, Kia does not have a solution. Apparently people have been told by Kia customer care people that they'll need to purchase the update from MnSoft as Canada does not have UVO! I've also heard people with cars that are advertised as supporting Android Auto (2017 Sportage I think), being told it's a paid update, when the Kia website makes no indication of this, in fact, it indicates if you have the correct spec / level / trim of car, then it's included. What really irks is they won a JD power award and pride themselves on saying they are all about the customer, when in this case it proves that is simply not the case. They could resolve the price of Nav updates by taking MnSoft to task over it, but they seem to care not one jot about it. I have considered reaching out to automotive media outlets to see if they have any interest in a story about this, as it seems customer are getting the rough end of the deal when it comes to navigation updates.

Re: $300 or $400 for map update

[dgatwood]

Plus the real issue is that a car's metal frame acts as a Faraday cage, blocking the signal.

A full wavelength at the lowest GPS frequency is only 10 centimeters. So unless your windows are all smaller than that, no your car is not a Faraday cage at those frequencies.

Re: $300 or $400 for map update

[Sloppy]

The problem isn't really even how much they're charging; it's that you can't shop around and use whatever data that you want to (or cheap out with openstreetmap or build your own data as your drive around, or whatever). If they had to compete, I doubt anyone would be complaining about the prices.

Re: $300 or $400 for map update

[thegarbz]

That signal is pointed straight down

No it's not. That signal is hitting you from all sorts of angles, especially if you have a clear view of the horizon.

so if you don't have a sun roof

I see you're unfamiliar with scattering. The wonderful thing about metal and cement is they don't make EM disappear, they bounce it around a bit. I pick up on average 18 satellites (mix of GPS and GLONASS) in my car with a good signal strength. And I have a tiny little shoebox with small windows, no sunroof, and my phone is often lying in the centre console under the dashboard.

Re: $300 or $400 for map update

[Scorch_Mechanic]

It's a quarter-cow's worth of (in this case, grass fed) beef for $8.69 a pound. A split half is roughly 90 lbs. total, half ground beef and the rest an assortment. It's basically buying a fully butchered quarter-carcass, so you get approximately the steaks and pieces that you would get if you had literally purchased a quarter of a cow. It's a very good deal on very good beef if you have the freezer space and don't mind having a lot of ground beef.

Your software is bad and you should feel bad.

[Anonymous Coward]

Open source that stuff so we code something usable for our cars.

Also, i shouldnt have to dig through on-screen menus to turn off the radio.

Been using GPS for 5+ Years/Never go without

[mykepredko]

Maybe I've been lucky with GPSes (GPI?) in cars but I find them to be really invaluable. Just for the record, I'm talking about a Toyota Prius Navigation (touch screen) and the Audi MMI Navigation Plus (input wheel that you can draw characters on). Both have voice input.

Interesting seeing the comments about update prices. For Toyota, I was quoted $3k CAN but the dealer could find it on a thumb drive and then it was free. Audi updates are free as part of regular maintenance. The Toyota maps, even though they were apparently updated to the current date never had a number of streets that were between five and ten years old. The Audi maps have streets that haven't been finished yet.

TFA discusses Android Auto and Apple CarPlay and neither work in the Prius. Android Auto is not available on the Audi and CarPlay sucks. I would love to plan out my route at home and then download the directions into the car.

Regardless, I find that when I'm on the road (a lot right now as I'm doing a startup), the GPS in the car is invaluable and I don't have to look down at my phone (which is a big fine/points here in Ontario) and I would recommend it for everybody.

that little antenna

[Lead Butthead]

isn't an antenna. It's a marker so drivers know where the vehicle "ends." real handy when trying to park in tight spaces.
GPS antenna are located either outside of the vehicle (integrated with AF/FM/satellite antenna) or some place not obstructed by the vehicle frame (under the dash, on a corner the windshield, etc.)