Over the weekend I got to use the new OS's navigation pretty extensively. I think I would give it a 6 out of 10 rating at best. The navigation itself worked great, however the extreme lack of options when in motion is extremely frustrating. I figured out part way through the trip how to use the bluetooth to speak and search for things, but trying to remember some of the commands is annoying.
Also, I didn't register the maps yet and get an upgrade but I don't think it should have that big of an impact. We were trying to find a Bojangles restaurant and the navigation simply would not find any. I was sitting in the parking lot near one and tried a search just for kicks and it still wouldn't pull any up, extremely disappointing.

What are others opinions or tips with the Navi unit. Is there any unlock so that features will stay active when in motion. Auto manufacturers put a sensor in the passenger seat to turn the passenger air bag on and off, so if that sensor is showing someone in the passenger seat, enable all features while the vehicle is in motion. That's what happens in my case, if someone is with me, they work the Navi.
Other than that, directions and locations were spot on.

 

Is that right..?
Well, then bring along a Bible and place it in the passenger seat.

 

I understand that you shouldn't be messing with the thing while you're driving and I do agree, because I sometimes feel that screen is just as distracting as texting while driving.
But I don't feel that it's crazy to enable it if you know someone is riding shotgun. It's more legitimate than someone rewiring it or rewriting the program like I was reading about for the Lancers.

How to you like the Nav mRVR?

 

Been driving since I was 15 ( ) never once have I used such gizmos, period.
Just a paper map, my senses, or the position of the sun or stars.
Have I gotten lost before, hell yeah. (just stop and ask the locals or backtrack your way to someplace familiar.)

But, still never used Nav systems.
Never liked those things.

>> What's next? Cars that drive themselves... or worse.
ie:
1. Most drivers can't even drive clutch (even if their lives depended on it)...
2. They don't talk but just text one another with abbreviated alphabet-soup or silly hashtags (WHILE Driving).
3. After GPS, most of them can't even figure out how to read street signs or figure out which direction they are heading without aid from a Garmin** or a smartphone.
4. Now we're seeing stupid Wifi routers integrated/built-into cars!

Next thing we'll witness is a generation of folks who can't even operate an automobile by themselves (without googling "how to start a car" - while in the vehicle, probably.)

I'd say, get rid of all these electronic tracking doodads and start re-using our own senses of direction.


** Not too long ago, there was a story about an Electronic guru who worked for CNet.. that took his family (wife, two baby girls) on a road trip, he relied on their NAV on the way home and got lost up in the woods (around thanksgiving)... They were stuck out there for 10+ days and he died. Very sad.

 

I absolutely agree with mRVRsport. I think the migration of visual devices into cars was a very unfortunate development. They cause a lot of distraction and increase the risk of accidents. For some the existing risk is not high enough as they want to break the interlock to extend some of the blocked features to moving vehicles (watching videos while on the move). Some impracticalities: People like big sunroofs (extra cost ~$1K or 2K extra depending on whether it is packaged with something else). People like big screen infotainment systems and NAVI units (again extra ~$2K in case of Mitsubishi's MC). When one has both the screen is not visible, it is washed out. I am going further: I do not see any advantage of a push button start, to me is a simple PR move. Back up camera and sensors: yes, they could help but by using them we loose the ability to park our cars without it. More importantly we trust them more than they deserve (do not forget the welcome message of navi and infotainment systems). Smartphones: could be useful but we become addicted to them and experience separation anxiety if they are not within reach. Without using calculators we cannot answer a simple 6 x 6 multiplication. Many gadgets, including all the nannies (lane departure/keeping, adaptive cruise control, collision mitigation) makes us as drivers weaker and give more false confidence on the road to those, who should not be confident in the first place. These gadgets do not liberate us from remaining vigilant. Also keep in mind that one of the most frequent failures in relatively new cars is associated with the infotainment systems and excessive electronics. Look at for example Infiniti Q50 problems:
http://www.infinitiq50.org/forum/problems-solutions/
If you do not bother to read: in the first page (18 different threads as of 3/11/2015) all address such problems I described (navi failure, loss of power steering, radar sensor failure, ABS error, key not detected error, rear camera image not displaying, both computer screens constantly rebooting during driving etc.).
I must state that in my values safety ranks #1 and everything else comes miles below when it comes to transportation. This is why my comments (not just right here) may sound edgy for some fellow members.

 

It's a disgrace that most drivers are laud into complacency about their own safety & security by all these doodads, they know even Less now on how to resolve the problems than before if/WHEN a problem arises with their vehicle nowadays.


What's even more sad is...
Most of these "new" vehicle electronics don't have 'immediate' redundancy/backup or even (basically) harden against intrusion/attack.
>> The manufacturerS are just simply relying on the fact that the system(s) are so "new" so expect some glitches (we'll fix it in the next year model, type of thinking) or that it'll "probably take years before anyone can figure them out or tamper with them..." philosophy.

Two examples of current electronic problems:

1. My wife and I have experienced this only twice in two years, but still.. (Neither one of us ever used these "smartkey" before we got the . And, I was sort of against it, but relented because of the trim level we wanted didn't have a standard key option.)

> The SmartKey failed to start/be-recognized by the vehicle (on first attempt). Once in a parking garage at a mall. The other just today at home for my wife.
I don't know what caused it, but IF it really was a problem, there's really nothing we can do other than keep trying to mash down on the silly Start Button.
At least with a old fashion key you Know if you're turning it to Accessory or all the way to engine start, but with these Start Buttons, if there's NO response, you just don't know what's going on in the ECU (or the car's starter or alarm inhibitor, etc. etc.) is doing or not doing.

It did start eventually..

Luckily neither situations was an emergency, but you can just imagine if there was an emergency and you needed that vehicle to start up, few people would be in a clear frame of mind to figure out WTF! is going on with that start button.


2. Again related to SmartKeys -
The wireless transmition of the "secure code" between the vehicle and key dongle that you carry.
It's secure in two ways:
a. The short distance of the transcoder and receiver (in the car)
b. The algorithms for the unique ID/key (for your car)

> Well, this kid proved that's not a problem to hack against GM & BMW vehicles.
14-Year-Old Hacks Connected Cars With pocket change, LINK

I believe there are cases where Audi, Mercedes, Land Rovers have also been stolen by something like this kid's device.

And, that's just the problem with those damn keys!
Don't get me started on those Moving-Out-of-Your-Lane-Warning systems, Self-Parallel-Parking Assists, or the radar-I-Will-Stop-Your-vehicle-Before-You-Rearend-something systems.

>>> So, if we ever get a bunch of self-driving cars, SUVs, whatnot on our public roads/highways, and they are all connected to the Net...
Then I can imagine some bored evil-doer/kid-hacker will have a hey-day playing Need4Speed or GrandTheftAuto Online for REAL with somebody's car.





Ha Ha Ha Ha Ha..

Most of those threads are quite current too (just within the pass month).
- Good humorous reading on my lunch break.

> Just looked up & read some of their threads...
Them being owners of some $50,000+ cars, they are a riot! - to read their posts and comments.

I'm sorry to be laughing, at their expense -
But, I loved the one who couldn't start his new Q50 >>

.

 

[Off Topic]

Apparently those infiniti owners are having MUCH Worse day than anyone of us with our inexpensive CUVs.

> Is my Q50 just a bad apple?
> Car shuts down while driving
> Having trouble with both computer screens constantly rebooting as I am driving

 

I agree completely with what you guys are saying. The OS is the wife's car and she wanted the Navi. I personally hate the screen because it's too distracting and too many buttons/options. I like my old lancer with RF system. Just the standard old buttons, seek, change disc, etc. I know right where they are without taking my eyes off the road.
I use the Navi for mainly in town driving (when I'm not in a familiar place) or looking up a destination while on my route (like a restaurant, hotel, etc.). I usually map out by main route via google or something beforehand, then I know what main roads to take and what direction to head.
As far as the backup camera, I personally think it's near useless. Use the mirrors, you can see just as much if not more. Only awesome thing about a backup camera is backing up to a trailer, you can get it perfect.

Like mention before, all the gadgets are just PR/marketing moves because this country worships money

Oh well, if anyone has any good tips for using the OS Navi, I'd love to hear them.