Should I renew or not - Built in Navigation

[Willymy]

My three year "trial" is ending. I don't use the built in Nav much, I usually use Apple Maps or Google Maps. I am looking for any comments on why I should sign up and pay to extend my subscription. Thanks in advance

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[ChrisO]

For me that would be a no (even though I have 2 1/2 years to go on mine).

Android Auto does everything the built in Nav does and does it better in my opinion.

The only thing I was using the built in Nav was preconditioning the battery on a long trip (which I have only done once), but since about December of last year Android Auto is doing that too, so no loss there.

Also, very recently Android Auto has gotten the current state of charge and predicting the state of charge at the destination. If you think about that, it means that the car is actually feeding it information of what the current state of charge is and such. I never got setup where I could get it to update this real time for the other trip planners, and now I don't have to.

 

[dan_meh]

I suppose it depends on the cost. We find the Apple nav works well but I like to compare the route to the Ford route.

I also like the Details dialog and a couple other EV specific features.

I guess you could try Apple Maps only for a while and see if you miss Ford’s app.

 

[ChrisO]

Note I hear that Car Play doesn't have all the new features that Android Auto has, and least not yet. So, that would certainly play into the decision for iPhone users.

 

[ChrisO]

Another thought, I haven't tried it (even my wife does have an iPhone), but someone on here mentioned that even if you are using an iPhone you can still use Google Maps. If that is true, then maybe you can get to new features that way.

 

[dalola]

I could be wrong, but I think even if you don't renew, you still have the maps, just no updates or route guidance.

 

[EasyPass]

I'm an AA client, and when my Nav subscription was expiring I had considered doing without. Then I looked at my FordPass Points and it was the perfect way to consume them for an extended year of service in case some need arises. Will take another look at this in 12 months.

 

[B177y]

My three year "trial" is ending. I don't use the built in Nav much, I usually use Apple Maps or Google Maps. I am looking for any comments on why I should sign up and pay to extend my subscription. Thanks in advance

AFAIK, the built-in nav still doesn't show the compatible Tesla chargers within the map routing. That's a hard no for me to renew the Ford nav when it is available in Google Maps, ABRP, Plugshare, etc....

 

[ChrisO]

I could be wrong, but I think even if you don't renew, you still have the maps, just no updates or route guidance.

That is true, but in another thread, someone said that the maps go back to "factory", as in years old maps. You aren't going to get what you currently see if the locations you are looking at have changed over the years.

 

[medic2442]

My three year "trial" is ending. I don't use the built in Nav much, I usually use Apple Maps or Google Maps. I am looking for any comments on why I should sign up and pay to extend my subscription. Thanks in advance

Although Apple Maps can now display charing stops, navigate you to a charger along your route/trip and display available battery percentage it cannot precondition your battery for optimal charing while navigating to a charger. That is something Apple Maps cannot and will not do. So for long trips where you may need to stop a charger(s) along your route, it's best to use the built-in maps to precondition your battery.

 

[medic2442]

AFAIK, the built-in nav still doesn't show the compatible Tesla chargers within the map routing. That's a hard no for me to renew the Ford nav when it is available in Google Maps, ABRP, Plugshare, etc....

When does it now show the Tesla Superchargers? Mine shows them since now Ford can charge at them. It even tells me that I need an adapter and that it's plug and charge. I don't use plug in charge however cause it cost more than using the Tesla app and a $12.99/month membership from Tesla for non-Tesla vehicles. I pay what Tesla owners pay to charge. The cost is a no brainer. .31 vs. .50 cents per kHw at 4 am for the Supercharger across the street from me.

 

[TheVirtualTim]

The key in “connected navigation” is the “connected” part. Maps are updated as roads are built or changed. It gets real-time traffic and routes around problems, etc.

If you allow it to expire and don’t renew, the basic navigation still works … but maps revert to the base-maps and it wont get any real-time updates. Route planning wont take traffic into account.

The one NICE feature is for using it on long trips where you’ll need multiple charging stops because it does it not only adds chargers to the route (and you can customize them easily — more easily than any alternative I have ever tried) but it knows the “real time” battery state of charge and can adjust the plan based on your progress.

Most other solutions that add chargers to the route … are cast in stone once the route is created. They don’t dynamically update based on if you are using the battery faster than expected.

I *think* Apple Maps have started doing this … but I did not think that Google maps was quite there yet. But I still don’t know how to over-ride a charging stop in those apps (in Ford Nav you can go into the trip details, find the stop, and tap the edit button … and it will show you other chargers in the area … you can pick one and it will replace that stop with your selection.)

 

[ChrisO]

The key in “connected navigation” is the “connected” part. Maps are updated as roads are built or changed. It gets real-time traffic and routes around problems, etc.

If you allow it to expire and don’t renew, the basic navigation still works … but maps revert to the base-maps and it wont get any real-time updates. Route planning wont take traffic into account.

The one NICE feature is for using it on long trips where you’ll need multiple charging stops because it does it not only adds chargers to the route (and you can customize them easily — more easily than any alternative I have ever tried) but it knows the “real time” battery state of charge and can adjust the plan based on your progress.

Most other solutions that add chargers to the route … are cast in stone once the route is created. They don’t dynamically update based on if you are using the battery faster than expected.

I *think* Apple Maps have started doing this … but I did not think that Google maps was quite there yet. But I still don’t know how to over-ride a charging stop in those apps (in Ford Nav you can go into the trip details, find the stop, and tap the edit button … and it will show you other chargers in the area … you can pick one and it will replace that stop with your selection.)

I haven't had the occasion to test this out, but I believe your statement isn't correct about Android Auto, at least not since recent updates.

Android Auto clearly knows the current state of charge of my Mach-E. After all right on the map/designation it shows the predicted state of charge you will have at arrival. That would be impossible if it didn't already have the current state of charge.

I do know that if I put in a destination that I can't reach on the current charge it will automatically add a charging station. I can't imagine that they wouldn't update this dynamically if the state of charge is going down faster than predicted. And it quite easy to change the routing, adding stops and such.

 

[Jtbuster]

That is true, but in another thread, someone said that the maps go back to "factory", as in years old maps. You aren't going to get what you currently see if the locations you are looking at have changed over the years.

This is indeed troubling. Does the Ford Pass go back to factory settings.?

 

[ChrisO]

This is indeed troubling. Does the Ford Pass go back to factory settings.?

Not from what I understand. Ford Pass isn't affected by this. It is is the Ford Nav that is affect. Basically, their Nav is downloads information from their servers with the map and real time traffic information, and the Ford Nav works off of that. But when the subscription expires it will detect that and wipes out any downloaded map/traffic information. Which basically means you are now stuck with whatever was stored there when programmed in the factory.

That means that your maps don't just stop updating, they go back to the date that your Mach-E was manufactured.

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