GPS/Navigation feature built into your car?

People already discuss built-in GPSrs. But it is somewhat deceptive to compare these to people using their Garmin's or TomToms with PC or Macs. Mac people are generally interested in enhancing their GPS receivers just as many PC users are. But people who pay a high premium for a built-in GPS pretty much take what they get and can't enhance the devices with add-on POI files. The main focus of POI factory is POI files, so there is little point in the site creating special sections for GPS users who can't load those POI files.

Sure, a nice large built-in screen for a GPS rather than having to mount a small screen somewhere less convenient in the car would be nice, but many of us still choose to use after market receivers both for the ability to add POI files and related enhancements as well as for map updates that don't cost more than a stand-alone GPS receiver with a new map. When this changes I hope to hear about it here, but until that unlikely day it will probably be best to just have some threads for common popular built-in receivers or perhaps even better to discuss them in forums that focus on particular car manufacturers.

My 2013 Jeep Wrangler Unlimited came with a built in GPS, it runs Garmin software. I was mistakenly under the impression you could not add POI's to this unit .... until I found these threads here on POI Factory:

http://www.poi-factory.com/user/309501

http://www.poi-factory.com/node/39919

Frovingslosh, I understand and respect your point of view; at the same time I don't necessarily accept every point you made. Not exactly sure that "built-in screen" owners see themselves as being a cut above the crowd.

That said, I'll let the post germinate a bit and see who else responds....

Although I use Garmin exclusively, a forum topic on built-in might prove useful, especially to those in the market for a new car, and a decision to be made as to whether to include a built-in GPS unit. There seems to be a lot of material to be discussed and considered: lifetime cost, ease of use, accuracy, update issues, etc.

I say, "why not!"

I'm not sure why you took that last statement from my post, it certainly wasn't intended.

Apparently some few built-in systems are starting to gain the ability to add POIs Perhaps there should be a forum for them that addresses their special concerns, just as there are TomTom and Gamnin distinctions.

I don't see those with built-in screens as either a cut above or a cut below. People have different interests and different priorities. I expect that most Garmin owners never install any custom POI files into their GPS receivers, and never would connect it to a computer to download a route that they had spent time creating. So for those people it would be reasonable to not be concerned about the ability to load a POI file. If they have the disposable income to choose to buy and maintain a built-in convenient large screen GPSr that is not as likely to be stolen out of a car, that could well be a very good choice for them. My thought was that those simply are not the people who the POI Factory website is targeted to. If someone chose a GPS that can't load POIs that could well be a fine choice for them, but there is no point in creating entire Toyota or Honda sections just to stress that they don't accept the POI files.

On the dash that takes the 7XX series Garmin's, flip it up for use or down for out of sight when parked and take the GPS with you if you want

I had not been aware of this, so I did some searching on the web. How interesting. It seems that this is actually a Nissan part, available for after market instillation. Does a nice job of mounting a Garmin GPS although by far the most expensive GPS mount that I have seen. It is interesting that Nissan would be willing to sell this and let their customers have the option of buying a non-Nissan GPS receiver. Of course, it gives up some of the features that you get with a truly built-in system, such as back up camera display or other information displayed on a conveniently located screen and it does still allow for easy theft, but those are also issues one faces with any similar Garmin device. Unfortunately, such a mounting option is not available for my car (or most cars).

I find myself using my phone as a gps more and more..Always works great. Haven't used my Garmin in quite awhile...

a thread in this section about built-in nav systems in GM automobiles; so there are several types of systems being discussed here at POI Factory.

Makes sense to me... More info can be very helpful when comparing..

Chuckle...

Ok, what ever you say city guy.

I can't tell you how much time I'm totally out of cell range in the Western USA. Heck even upstate New York, New Hampshire and Maine has a gazillion miles of no cell service in the middle of the boondocks where you need a GPS.

I love my window mount Nuvi and my Built in Chrysler UConnect system.

When will people get over the idea that GPS use on a cell phone requires a cell signal??

With the right app that stores a full map on the device - no cell signal is required.

What's an app for Android? Haven't heard of any yet.

I realise I can download a fairly large map tile, but haven't seen a way to get anything larger. To be honest, I'm more interested in just testing the device and GPS side by side rather than supplant the GPS.

One app which stores the maps on your device is CoPilot. They offer a stripped down free version you can try.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.alk.copilo...

The permissions required are way to broad for my tastes.

Thanks though, for the suggestion.

Both TomTom and CoPilot offer GPS apps for Android, and both of them download maps for all of North America or all of the US.

There may be other Android apps in addition to these, but I can confirm that these particular apps exist and allow you to download the entire country, because I have both of them on my phone and on my Nexus 7.

With best wishes,
- Tom -

My Prius has a built in GPS and I also have a 1490. I use both. My Toyota is used for the road because it shows upcoming exits on the interstate and what services are available. The 1490 has over 50,000 POI's on it and I use it to quickly find places I put in it. To amuse myself I put my distance trips in both to see how they compare and there are differences. Yesterday while leaving LA to Phoenix, the Garmin chose driving through downtown and Toyota had me driving around up through Pasadena on the 210 and then driving through some beautiful neighborhoods to the 10.
The Toyota GPS is a bit faster in telling the directions. I did have to mute Jill while taking the shortest route (according to Toyota)because of all the "recalculating" which the Toyota does not say.
They both have good and bad points but since I have both it doesn't matter.
I am now trying to figure out if I am smug for having a built in or having a dashboard GPS or that I have both.

It's called Navigon.

I should have stated that I use my phone when I am in my home city and sometimes in other city locations. When traveling depending on the car I use, I will use the built in or my Garmin...I guess I just don't travel out of town as much as others do.

Does the 2014 Jeep enable adding POI Places?

See the third post in this thread, posted by me.

I agree. I have been using my phone for all small trips and Garmin for the long ones. Just bought a new Camry with GPS and have been using that, instead of the Garmin. Works great. You never have to many GPSs.

Well after being here for 6 years, I just this week bought a 2014 Toyota Sienna with built in navigation. It's big, bright, beautiful and colorful, but a huge giant nuisance compared to the effective, easy and accurate Garmin Nuvi I've had these many yrs. sad part is I still have to use the Garmin for the speed and red light alerts. Maryland rancid with it

I NEED A WAY TO install poi into 2015ram 1500 uconnect® 8.4an/ra4

... I believe I will stick with my Garmin.

--

it's the dog's fault

http://www.chargerforumz.com/showthread.php?t=131326

I am actually shopping new cars now and I love the integration but its hard to beet the price and flexibility of a portable unit

The car GPS has limits but it is always with you. You only have to take your portable GPS when you want to.
I use the car GPS for around town and near by but for a long trip I take the GPS.
Now that I have both, well three, Viago on my Note 4 phone, I couldn't do without all of them for different times...

Rode to a meeting with colleagues in a new car. Taking the four of us together, we've enough degrees (in hard sciences) to outfit a thermometer...

We had a great deal of difficulty managing the built-in nav system, particularly using the twirly knob/button input thing -- and that was with one of us reading from the manual. What a pain -- yes, the owner will get good at it over time; it's amazing what people can adapt to.

The car? CLS Mercedes.

The other three of us have Garmins of one model or another.

Reading through the posts, it seems that the author is offering the Speed and Red-Light POIs to anyone that wants them. Hope they didn't get them from here. Doesn't seem fair, if that's the case.

Has the map and POI issues been solved in any car model yet? If not, a pre-installed unit is not in my plan at all because they're a fundamental necessity for any GPS.

Also, I was really happy to be able to take my Garmin during a trip to Europe for use in a rental car, something a car installed unit would not have allowed me to do.

I just did a user search and found him.
http://www.poi-factory.com/user/257460
Everything matches including his avatar.

I don't feel that he should be offering files from here for free on the other forum. After all we pay by $ or for being part of the forum and contributing.

We need JM to weigh in on this.

Even though my Avalon came with a built in gps, I rarely use it, that is when I am too lazy to hook up my garmin, much more accurate than built in

I was just offering a way to add the poi's which it looked like that thread explained in the first post. I didn't read the entire thread.

I found a thread here that explained how to add poi's to the built in GPS in my Jeep, it works each and every time. So the poi problem in at least the 430N has been solved. The draw back is updating the maps, no lifetime subscriptions and very expensive.

When I bought my Jeep Wrangler they offered two version of built in navigation, one was based on Garmin software, I chose that version and it is very easy to use, since all my GPS experience is Garmin based. So I guess it depends on who's software the built in GPS is built on, as to the ease of use.

Thanks to the 'factory' I found a way to add poi's to my Garmin based Uconnect 430N so the only real limitation of the built in GPS in my Jeep is the cost of map updates, which are far and few between. The part of the country I live in is so built up I haven't seen very many map updates over the years make a difference for me as to new roads.

I think the best selling point for a built in GPS is, as you sort of mention, it's at the ready, nothing to set up. I can't tell you how many times with the push of a button I had the GPS running and helping me around a traffic jam or detour in an area I was somewhat but not completely familiar with, an area I would not have taken the time to set up the portable 2460.

At one time I was a fan of built in GPS's but with the expense of upgrading them I am leaning away from them, since they don't tell you what and where the updates are for. I guess you could just update every year or two, as that is probably sufficient.

We just bought a new car and specifically avoided those with inbuilt mapping capability because, frankly, their data update cycles were slow, too expensive and too hard to actually do the update. I'll stick with my portable GPS, pretty much "permanently" mounted in the car. I have no doubt the GPS will also go the way of the dinosaur in favor the smartphone mapping.

I can add custom poi to my Honda but the limit I don't like is not being able to use the controls and When I am driving all I get from the talk option is " no command given". The system hears my husband when he is driving but does not hear my voice when I drive.

Maybe you should sue it for sex discrimination as it responds to male voices but not female.

That's funny but I think it is correct.
My void is high. I will try to lower it to see if that works.

And you still don't get the portability f an independent GPS to use in a rental or a friend's car for example.

... and, as I mentioned, I also have a Garmin 2460 for just such situations, although I've never had one come up.

I do use my 2460 everyday in my work truck.

It has wheels.

When I purchased a new vehicle last year, a built-in navigation system was not on my short list of desired options due to the cost.

The cost is nuts. It's gotta be among the most profitable options especially since it often gets bundled in with other stuff many people don't even want.

I've been using Waze the last month, and I've found it to be a *very good* free navigator on smartphones with some significant advantages over built-in. I'm running it at the same time as a Garmin.

I just leased a car which includes Navigation. Never wanted it but the deal was very good. Can these units be upgraded with newest maps and POI files?

Most auto makers offer updates to their nav systems but the price varies. It depends on your vehicle make and model. The cost of some dealer provided updates often exceeds the cost of a mid range GPS unit with free lifetime map updates.