Crappy GPS's

This is not a complaint to Toyota as much as it is to all auto manufacturers. Why are factory supplied, built-in GPS's so incredibly crappy? A relatively inexpensive Garmin runs circles around any factory installed GPS system I have seen.
Some basic deficiencies: 1) secondary and tertiary roads aren't visible on the map. In my area it shows me driving down a blank area on the map a lot of the time, no matter how much you zoom in or out. 2) lack of adjustability in many areas of function 3) Voice commands work poorly in both voice recognition and vocabulary 4) Doesn't display altitude 5) picks inefficient, sometimes incredibly stupid routes 6) route tracing is horrible. 7) non-intuitive to use. I could go on and on. They work somewhat better in a metropolitan area than a rural area, but it is an Off-road truck! It is totally worthless out on forest service roads.
I eventually mounted one of my old Garmins in my truck and have stopped using the factory installed one. That is unfortunate 'cause I hate the mounting options and the dangling wires associated with an after-market GPS. But at least I have a useful GPS.

 

If it makes you feel any better, the nav in my 2015 T4R is a heap of dog shit as well.

 

+1 what OP said.

I think the larger issue is why does Toyota (and most other CAR manufacturers) think they can do software?!?!?! Why not outsource it? They outsource many, many, many other parts of the truck!! I think the ideal situation is to make the display unit a "dummy" terminal that just projects what you have on your smart phone.

 

OP, please add to your list of GPS pet peeves: 8) it takes not 1, not 2... but 3 screen touches to stop the navigation from actively giving instructions (cutting short of arrival of destination). 3 touches! if that isn't anti-safety...

 

How do you know they are not outsourcing and just being super cheap and therefore getting a shitty program produced

 

My view on this is; GPS companies make GPS. They don't make vehicles.

Car companies make cars. They don't make GPS.

The conclusion is, if Garmin made cars, they would suck about as much as your GPS in your truck by comparison.

And to note another point a GPS is a novelty in a car honestly. Much like the TPS sensor in your tires. While "helpful", it's not necessary.

 

fair point. I don't know for sure, but either way... I guess I don't want ANY software in there... just a dummy terminal.

 

They are most definantly outsourcing. And getting super aged software at a discount rate and then marking up the premiums on their vehicle lines that carry them. Bait and switch!

 

The problem is multi folded for the consumer, and profit for Toyota.

1) people think in dash nav is the cat's meow, high end stuff

2) most of those people never leave the pavement, much less wander too far off main paved roads, so the detail doen't matter as much. Big screen, pretty colors and choices of voices must mean it's good.

3) most of those people don't realize that Toyota charges for map updates, and portable units update for free.

4) so. Toyota and others take a budget path. Bundle it in some whiz bang package so you can't exclude it if you don't want it. And they make $.

Like proximity key nonsense, I hope I never have to own a vehicle that has it.

 

I believe some hit it well. I had a 2003 Honda Accord fully loaded. Leather navi all that stuff. And the navi from factory worked amazingly.

 

I can get updates to my GPS???

 

What does your owners manual say about it? Anything?

They may not have any to offer yet, but my understanding is it requires a shop visit, and a fee.

 

I've been through the manual several times but it's like hundreds of pages that tend to blend together after a while so I may have missed it.

 

I was looking mainly on how to get the audio/radio screen to not display the list of channels on the left.

I thought I saw the "album art" screen displaying over the whole display at one time...(minus the channel list)

 

Updates come out once a year, usually in the fall, and yes they are expensive so don't do it too often. Maybe every 2nd year.

I find my GPS useful in the truck. Much better than the unit in my Gen 2.

 

I whole-heartly agree with the OP!! In my wife's 2014 Mazda CX-9 (as well as some past vehicles), it has been a cause of significant frustration for us thanks to the horrible interface, lack of details, and a terrible database (even with updates) that is not very useful to the millions that do NOT live in a big city. And don't get me started on the "safety lockout" feature...it is the one thing that has caused more unsafe driving than anything else we have used to date!

I have yet to purchase the "navigation" on any of my vehicles unless it is part of some overpriced package that has something else that I really wanted. They are ridiculously over priced options with half the functionality of the (free) Google Maps and a $25 phone mount. Even if you don't want to use your phone (lack of reception?) it is FAR cheaper to replace the stock headunit with a Nav enabled aftermarket headunit or simply use a stand-alone GPS if you don't mind wires.

I am excited that the auto industry is finally starting to embrace Android Auto and Apple CarPlay. Unfortunately, I have yet to play with either of these...so I can't say if it's solution we are probably looking for.

 

If I were the King of Toyota (or any other manufacturer), I would make a deal with someone like Garmin to supply the software for my GPS. It would probably give my Kingdom a big sales feature advantage over my competitors.
I really don't think the missing features in factory supplied GPS's mentioned in this thread are superfluous. A fully functional, easy to use GPS is a wonderful tool to have in your vehicle. Although many people don't use their GPS for much more than finding Granny's house once or twice a year, some of us do take them seriously. Particularly in an Off-Road truck. There is probably a lot more of us who do than most people think. And after all, we paid a pretty price to have a GPS in our vehicle. Factories should take note.
A phone GPS is great if you live in an area where you have reliable cell phone coverage, otherwise it is pretty worthless. That is also why I renewed my subscription to XM radio as opposed to using Pandora over the phone. My somewhat prejudiced outlook on life today: If you live where their is good reliable cell phone service; the area is too darn populated.

 

I don't care much for Garmin... no more than the toyota stuff. I much prefer Google Maps... far easier to use. I hate that you can't just type in search criteria, the way they implemented is clunky.

 

If you have a decent voice command system, as Garmin does, you don't have to type anything in. Much faster and safer. With Toyota's voice commands, if I ask to go to a Pizza Parlor, it might reply repeatedly with; "Where in Peoria do want to go?" So then I will try "find Pizza Hut", it will come back with "Where in Connecticut would you like to go?" My wife and I used it for entertainment on one trip. The voice training feature doesn't help much.

 

You are comparing Garmin to Toyota... I like Google maps, although I know it has its limitations as they all do. I have a buddy with Garmin on his Harley, he was leading once heading to bar on the river in Sacramento and his Garmin brought us through the terminal at the Sac airport. I just think Google has the most updated maps with the downside being you need to be online to use it. I don't mind typing if its not a pain.