Ford to Offer Smartphone-Based In-Vehicle Navigation

[tuanmai]

TeleNav's Android application can now sync up with AppLink equipped vehicles for an affordable, pseudo-onboard navigation system.

Ford to Offer Smartphone-Based In-Vehicle Navigation : Read more

 

[velocityg4]

No thanks. I hate these systems that rely on interlinking with modern devices being built in to cars. What's the point? In five years it will be useless because it won't be compatible with anything anymore ten years max. At least with cassette tapes or CD's you could keep using your old tapes.

It's not like GPS is expensive anyways. I can pickup a TomTom for about $120 that has unlimited map updates. I'm sure Ford could negotiate an integrated deal for even less. The only expensive thing about integrated GPS is that the auto makers charge you ten times what it cost them or require you to get the super duper model with power everything, Bose 50 speaker audio, leather, powertrain package, ballsack massager &c.

Also in the old cars you could replace your aging stereo no problems. Now they integrate remote buttons for the stereo around the car and have the stereo work as an information display so you can't replace the darn thing when these connections become obsolete. If you do replace it you're left with useless buttons and loss of information.

 

[cknobman]

Google Maps and Navigation work perfect on my smart phone for free. It works so well I usually dont ever have to type in an address. I also get turn by turn spoken navigation via the speaker on my phone.

Best part about it: ITS FREE!!!!

 

[lyons75]

I find it very interesting that Ford sees market for a fee based service here when, as cknobman points out, we've all been doing this through our phones just fine for free.

 

[ejb222]

There is no need for those giant GPS screens in cars. I know they serve as the UI for the radios etc too...but why not just remove the GPS and make that a powered smartphone holder. Now you have the GPS and with bluetooth, it can connect to your car radio.

 

[danwat1234]

OK, or just have a screen in the dash that has WIDI or an HDMI port.. plug the smartphone into that, there you go.

 

[twelch82]

Why not make a deal with Google so it can take advantage of the Google maps that people already have?

 

[Guest]

ford isn't really offering anything other then an aux audio port it would seem

 

[jonnyhuk2]

Trouble with built in systems is that they age so much faster than the car. You could buy yourself a very nice 5 year old vehicle, it would still seem pretty modern and up to date and in good condition. But imagine buying a 5 year old computer or SatNav or mobile phone, how dated, limited and slow it would be.