Posted on 06/08/2010 1:17:17 PM PDT by nickcarraway
If you drive a General Motors or Ford vehicle and subscribe to proper services, you’ll be able to avoid printing maps and schlepping them to the car before the end of the month.
That’s because both auto companies today announced new partnerships with Google that enable users to beam turn-by-turn directions from Google Maps directly to their OnStar or SYNC navigation systems that are built into their cars’ dashboards.
If you drive a Ford, Lincoln, or Mercury, you’ll click a “Send to SYNC” link on Google Maps results. Once you’re in your car, and if you subscribe to SYNC’s Traffic, Directions and Information service, your voice command can download your Google Maps directions and off you go.
Similarly, drivers of GM vehicles can click on an eNav button on Google Maps results that will allow users to send turn-by-turn directions to the OnStar units in their cars.
The announcements follow last month’s demonstration of mobile mapping features between OnStar and the Google Android operating system for the Chevy Volt.
“Google on Board...”
Big deal. I have that for free on my droid phone.
I think they’d be better teamed with a company that does auto GPS.
I’ve been doing a lot of real estate looking over the last six months. Many times Google can’t find the address. They’re not really good at some things - I suspect their use for automobile will be sub-standard.
Will either of the navigation systems allow one to enter a latitude, longitude point. I’ve found that they only allow street addresses for destinations. What’s really stupid is to have a vehicle capable of driving off roads but its navigation system is only capable of finding street address.
Geeze, how many Sci-Fi movies have been made with guys cutting/ removing things from their bodies, cars, houses, or other things because “big-brother” was tracking ya? Ans: Tons. (novel 1984 to start)
Same here. The problem with this approach is that it requires cellular connectivity. My in-dash nav system uses a DVD map. It only needs the GPS input to calculate a route. The Google approach offloads the mapping/routing to Google. That's fine...if you have the connectivity to keep the maps refreshed. You can probably download a set of waypoints that can serve the navigation operation for the onboard GPS, but it still needs some kind of local base map for that to do the job.
You should see my comment #5. I often have to go to oil and gas wells that are being drilled. In car navigation systems are useless for getting to them.
What’s the problem with the navigation system already in my vehicle? Doesn’t it give my pinpoint location accurate enough?
It’s laughing at you.
And probably for good cause, but I still don’t get it. ;-)
Google maps led me to an office location yesterday that led me to the middle of a field outside of the town it was in.
It also showed restaraunts around the office-nothing but empty fields were there.
What's needed is the ability to frequently update the on board database. A DVD system's DVD is obsolete before the DVD is even manufactured. If you're going to a remote area, it's quite likely that it might not have bad or nonexistent cellular coverage.
I really wish it were possible to be able to transfer data back and forth between a car navigation system and a PC. It would be even better if I could exchange data with people across the internet. Imagine being able to get ratings for restaurants and gas stations along your route. You could avoid doing business with gas stations that have nasty restrooms, because you could read comments about them from others. It would be similar to comments on Amazon.com or Priceline.
Instead of putting it into the dashboard, they should just include the iphone with the stand. It will probalby save them alot of money doing research and making the actual electronics to display the maps. Any device they come up with will probably look crap as its not their prime focus. They should leave these devices to the specialists
There's an app for that.
“Recalculating.......Recalculating.......Recalculating....”
PASS.
I think you need an offroad gps or a combo. Maybe something like the Garmin Oregon with some topo maps.
In car navs are for driving to street address, finding POIs etc. My comment was about Google’s problem with street addresses, which would matter a lot for a standard in-car nav system.
I got one of the little wristmounts for about $150:
https://buy.garmin.com/shop/shop.do?pID=30026
There’s no maps and it seems really limited, but I end up using it a great deal. Truly off-road. You can navigate to long/lat, retrace, mark points, get bearings. Several times in rough country it’s been the go-to unit over the dash mount.
May not be for you but it has it’s niche.
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