VINDICATED: Finally - GM to launch updated vehicle navigation system

[BoltEV]

To those of us waiting for Mary Barra's promised inclusion of a NAV system in the Bolt EV mentioned in her keynote speech at CES in January 2016, GM has finally made her an honest woman again:

GM to launch updated vehicle navigation system

Apr. 12, 2021 2:32PM ET. General Motors Company (GM) By: Clark Schultz, SA News Editor

• General Motors (GM -0.7%) plans to launch a more convenient in-vehicle navigation system this month for about 900K 2018 model-year and newer vehicles. The new Maps Plus feature will be powered by open sourch map provider Mapbox.

• In addition to navigation services, Maps Plus will also integrate with apps like music streaming service Spotify or voice assistant Alexa. The service is a notable upgrade by GM of the basic OnStar navigation tool.

• The new mapping system will be available by download throught an over-the-air update. GM and Mapbox plan to continue to enhance Maps+ based on customer feedback and metrics.

https://seekingalpha.com/news/3681107-gm-to-launch-updated-vehicle-navigation-system

 

[SparkE]

I can buy a new phone for less than the GPS option cost in most new cars, AND get free map updates on the phone. Why would I want to buy GPS software for the car when my phone can send map info to the display screen in the car? It is the 21st century.

 

[paulgipe]

Yeah, I am a convert to CarPlay/AndroidAuto. It works for me--as long as there's cell coverage. Unfortunately, there's quite a bit of area we go that doesn't have cell phone coverage.

paul

 

[liuelson]

Yeah, I am a convert to CarPlay/AndroidAuto. It works for me--as long as there's cell coverage. Unfortunately, there's quite a bit of area we go that doesn't have cell phone coverage.

paul

You can download map areas in Google maps in advance, and Google maps will work offline in Android Auto: https://support.google.com/maps/answer/6291838?co=GENIE.Platform%3DAndroid&hl=en

 

[paulgipe]

thanks. i'll give it a try the next time out/pg

 

[BoltEV]

I can buy a new phone for less than the GPS option cost in most new cars, AND get free map updates on the phone. Why would I want to buy GPS software for the car when my phone can send map info to the display screen in the car? It is the 21st century.

I like apples and you tell me how much you enjoy drinking orange juice as an alternative:

Yes, it is the 21st Century and yes, I do own an iPhone, and I don't care why you would want to buy GPS software or how much the GPS option costs in "most new cars;" I drive the Chevy Bolt EV, not most new cars.

Let me share two real-life anecdotes:

1) I am at a popular poker card club outside the city limits of the city of Los Angeles, when I am accosted verbally by two other players.

Security shows the two the door and accompanies me to the parking lot.

I notice that the two make a left turn out of the parking lot (my usual route) and so I make a quick right turn to avoid the risk that they have pulled over and will follow me home.

A left turn takes me right to the freeway entrance towards home and unfortunately now I am headed south and I do not know how to enter the freeway going that direction, so I am driving on city streets, in the wrong direction, late at night.

AND since my cellphone is in my pocket, I have no NAV available to me to guide me. I have to awkwardly remove my seat belt, get the iPhone out of my pocket and plug it into the USB port to activate Apple CarPlay, which I do while driving at night.

NOT an optimum situation and one which an internal NAV would have solved.

2) I am at a favorite destination Truck-Stop on Interstate 5 at the top of the Grapevine on a beautiful sunny day and I decide to drive west on Fraser Mountain Road to see the scenery and head towards the Pacific Ocean.

I come to the intersection of hiways 166 and 33 and I am lost and I have no idea which way to turn.

My iPhone NAV now has no working WiFi or T-Mobile service and hence no map capability. An internal NAV with GPS capabilities would have worked like a charm!

Some people like the security of having a "spare tire" onboard in case of a flat, most Bolt EV owners don't mind.

I want GPS Nav capabilities like those promised by GM's CEO Mary Barra prior to the Bolt EV's launch and I am willing to pay presumably a small monthly fee for that service in addition to my 98% of the time solution: my iPhone with Apple CarPlay.

I await the launch of this service.

If you don't want or need it, you have the option to NOT buy it, but don't criticize my ability to buy a "spare tire," if that makes me feel comfortable for the 2% of the time that I need it.

 

[elasticmedia]

I could not disagree with you more on this issues. Having the software on the phone is awesome. Also, it is too late for me, but the 2022 Bolt has wireless CarPlay, so you don't even have to plug it in.

1) Case in point: my 20005 totally loaded Honda Accord with navigation. This cost a pretty penny. It completely sucks. The nav is so old and clunky that it is unusable. On the other hand, with your nav coming from your phone, that software will always be up to date, and you will never have to pay $100's to update the nav software
2) You can download any region of your google map content to the phone, so that you don't need to have GPS connectivity. It is quite easy and I do this with Marin County which can have spotty coverage. It is quick, easy, and free.

 

[GetOffYourGas]

I could not disagree with you more on this issues. Having the software on the phone is awesome. Also, it is too late for me, but the 2022 Bolt has wireless CarPlay, so you don't even have to plug it in.

1) Case in point: my 20005 totally loaded Honda Accord with navigation. This cost a pretty penny. It completely sucks. The nav is so old and clunky that it is unusable. On the other hand, with your nav coming from your phone, that software will always be up to date, and you will never have to pay $100's to update the nav software
2) You can download any region of your google map content to the phone, so that you don't need to have GPS connectivity. It is quite easy and I do this with Marin County which can have spotty coverage. It is quick, easy, and free.

You are free to your opinions, but I'm with BoltEV. If you don't want the service, don't buy it. It doesn't affect you. If we want the service, we can buy it. After all, it was promised to us 5 years ago!

Here's another real-life scenario. I was driving Adirondack mountain roads, navigating with my iPhone. I came to a confusing intersection with 5 roads coming together. The map only shows 4, and it's not clear which I'm supposed to turn onto. As (mis) fortune would have it, I chose the wrong one. Now I'm lost in the woods. No service. Nav gives out on me completely. The fact that I could have downloaded maps ahead of time is of no consolation, since I didn't do so. I didn't think I'd need to.

Then there is the simple fact that smartphone navigation requires data. I am grandfathered into a cheap low-data plan that is not even offered anymore. I prefer not to use it when I don't need to. In fact, a small monthly fee for regular updates to built-in nav would certainly be cheaper than a larger data plan.

 

[GetOffYourGas]

Here's another reason. My Mini SE has built-in nav. It has a "green-routing" option not available via Google or Apple maps. Moreover, it knows the state of charge of the car and can find charging stations along my current route. I can find a charging station along my route based on my current remaining range. A smart-phone nav cannot do that.