Automakers charge in excess of $1,000 for in-dash nav systems, when you can get similar features on a lower-priced portable -- and now nearly the same functionality on an even less expensive smartphone nav app. Even though I liked the neat little nav system in a 2010 Mazdaspeed 3, the price (part of a $1,895 Tech Package option) left me less than impressed.
The downsized nav system in the Mazdaspeed 3 -- the screen is a mere 3.5 x 2.25 inches, smaller than even some of the lowest-priced portables -- has its upsides, but just as many downsides as well.
You can't control a portable nav system or smartphone nav app using steering-wheel buttons the way you can in the Mazdaspeed 3, but this also means a passenger can't punch in a destination. And with a portable you can't hear turn-by-turn directions over a car's stereo system. But since the MS3 has Bluetooth audio, you can potentially hear them from a smartphone nav app. And it can be argued that the screen in the MS3 is better integrated into the vehicle and therefore safer, but it's tucked very high and too far forward in the dash.
But beyond price, another factor that makes in-dash nav as likely to become a dinosaur as car phones is their maps quickly become dated. While there's an SD card slot next to the MS3's in-dash nav display for updating maps, those for smartphone apps can be more quickly and easily refreshed -- sometimes over the air or via the "cloud," as with the Google Maps Navigation app that's free on Android phones. Using stale maps makes it more likely that you'll hit a road that's closed and you'll get routed to POIs such as restaurants and stores that are no longer in business.
While automakers' nav systems still have slight advantages, those are disappearing about as quickly as the zippy little MS3 accelerates off the line. And the disadvantages are quickly catching up.
By jstandefer
on July 6, 2010
03:46 PM
We have two of these... one in our 2010 Mazdaspeed3 (Velocity Red, identical to the IL car) and the other in our 2010 Mazda3 Grand Touring (Graphite, 6-speed manual, all the bells and whistles). We find them to be just fine... nothing special, but we don't find ourselves wishing for something more. We have a top-of-the-line (well, it was a couple of years ago) TomTom, but it hasn't been used since we got these two cars.
We really like the convenience of not having to constantly set up and tear down the portable unit (leaving it set up in an unattended car is just asking for a break-in). And we also like having the use of all of our power points on long trips, rather than the portable nav taking up one of them. The lack of suction cup marks on the windshield is nice too!
We also like that the integrated unit temporarily lowers the audio system volume when blurting out commands. We found that we would miss the commands from the TomTom unless we always kept the radio volume low.
As for price... the Technology Package includes a lot of other things, so it's hard to judge the price of the nav. In the Grand Touring, the package price is only $1,195 since it already has several of the toys than the Mazdaspeed Tech Package adds. I'll admit that the value of portable units is better, but I prefer the integration of the factory units.
And honestly, the size of the screen doesn't bother us. A suction cup mounted portable at the base of the windshield isn't any better. An added bonus of the nav system in the Mazda3s is that you get a nice high-res display for the trip computer, vehicle set-up, and audio data. It's almost worth the price just for the huge improvement over the non-nav low-res display for the same info.
Regarding over-the-air or "cloud" navigation systems... I thought the same thing on a business trip last year (Fort Walton Beach, in the Florida panhandle). I figured I would just use Google Maps on my iPhone, but I let out a major "Doh!" when I got there and realized I had no data signal. Sure, the phone knew the coordinates of my position, but without a downloaded map, it was useless! I did just come back from Panama City, FL on another business trip, and the data signal was terrific there (about 50 miles from Fort Walton).
;-)
By ne1butu2
on July 6, 2010
04:34 PM
I believe that some newer in-car systems offer update via "cloud." Don't the newest Audi systems offer this? I much prefer the integration of car systems because...
-it knows which way the car is pointed. Therefore can tell left from right, as-in, "your destination is coming up on your left side."
-it turns down the radio volume. So you can keep your tunes cranked.
- it adjusts the brightness with the dash lights
- not prone to theft.
- Bigger display
- Better looking than suction cup systems
- most importantly for me... no cords or extra crap to fumble with.
The only reason I have an in-car nav system is because the car came with it. It certainly wasn't a priority since I have Google maps on my iPhone. But now that i have it, I don't know how I lived without it.
By blueguydotcom
on July 6, 2010
07:05 PM
Navi is less than $300 in parts (with a big screen) and software. There's no reason a 7 inch LCD in a car runs $2k. In the early 1990s Navi was $2000. 20 years later it's still the same price? Something is terribly amiss with that - I've broken down the costs many times.
I figure sooner rather than later the luxo makers will incorporate navi as standard (like AC and power windows). but maybe it'll be a smaller car company looking to exploit the fact that it's such generic, old school tech that there's zero reason it's expensive still.
I've had navi in cars. More importantly, I was product manager on a navi system for a company. It's silly easy to program and use portable navi.
By jstandefer
on July 6, 2010
09:45 PM
"...the price (part of a $1,895 Tech Package option) left me less than impressed."
Doug, why were you less than impressed with the price? For $1,895, you got:
>Bose Centerpoint Surround Sound System with AudioPilot
>4 mids, 4 tweeters, 1 center channel, 1 subwoofer
>In-dash 6-CD changer
>SIRIUS satellite radio
>Antitheft alarm system
>Push-button start
>Proximity key system for entry and start
>Integrated navigation system
Most manufacturers, as blueguydotcom pointed out, will charge you $2k just for the nav system. Just looking at some of the stuff above as separate accessories, Mazda charges about $600 for the 6-CD changer, about $400 for the satellite radio, and about $300 for the alarm system (none of which includes installation charges). That's $1,300 right there, which represents less than half of the package contents.
By guy1974
on July 7, 2010
06:02 AM
Using stale maps makes it more likely that you'll hit a road that's closed and you'll get routed to POIs such as restaurants and stores that are no longer in business.
OMG is a 1 or 2 year old map really that bad? Things don`t change that much. I-95 is where it has been for decades etc. It allows you to update as well - maybe not as easy as your new fangled google phone but come on complain about something real like the hideous refresh of the Mazda 3.
By dougnewcomb
on July 7, 2010
10:38 AM
@ne1butu2: Yes, the nav system in the 2011 A8 will have a Google Earth mapping option with a data connection.
And I agree with blueguydotcom that in-dash nav should eventually become standard, or at least be offered the way that it is via Ford Sync: as an initially free add-on app.
By jstandefer
on July 7, 2010
02:14 PM
"And I agree with blueguydotcom that in-dash nav should eventually become standard, or at least be offered the way that it is via Ford Sync: as an initially free add-on app."
Do you mean offering navigation without the map display (audible and text prompts on radio display only)? Although Sync comes standard in many Ford vehicles, you usually have to pay extra to get the big touchscreen unless you're buying a high trim level. For example, an F-150 Lariat comes standard with Sync. You can use voice commands to request navigation directions from the "cloud" (cell phone connection and service required). Note, if your cell phone is dead or has no service, you can't talk to the cloud. Adding the big touchscreen with built-in maps and hard drive adds $2,430. Ouch.
By DLu
on July 7, 2010
04:03 PM
@ ne1butu2,
our Garmin Nuvi knows which way the car is pointed as well; it also can tell you "your destination is on the left."
About the navigation that comes with a package, the '11 Sienna's system is terrible. It's so bad that we brought our Garmin on a trip this past week and we'd rather deal with cords and a smaller screen than use that expensive POS.
By ne1butu2
on July 7, 2010
05:34 PM
DLu,
I have an older Garmin in a drawer somewhere that I use when I travel. It doesn't have the ability to know which direction it's pointed. It's a big improvement that they now have gotten smarter at that.
Some in-dash units are still pretty bad. I've never driven a Toyota Sienna, but the one in the Porsche Cayman is very wonky and gives no advance notice to make a turn. Which is not helpful at all. The one in my four year old S4 is still spot on almost all the time. Although I wish it had real time traffic alerts like the newest ones do.
Isn't technology fun!?!