[mar.erskine]

What’s the best alternative to iDrive navigation system?

[Brandoch]

Looking out of the windshield to see where you are going.

[BIGW0RM]

Originally Posted by Brandoch

Looking out of the windshield to see where you are going.

[BIGW0RM]

Apple maps and Waze are probably the most commonly used.

[Pauly Wauly]

I almost never use the idrive navigation system on my cars, most of the time I use the Google maps app on my Android phone for navigation.

[Westside Guy]

I use Waze 99% of the time.

[DubaiRich]

I use Waze...even here in Italy!

[DanG]

Apple Car Play for me.

[RockCrusher]

Before I had cars with NAV systems built in I relied on aftermarket NAV systems. I used Garmin, and TomTom. They worked well and I was able to move them from car to car.

Then I bought cars with NAV and set the Garmin/TomTom units aside.

Can't get onboard using a phone. My iPhone is nice but rather small -- pocket size. And I have a pay as I go phone and really only use the phone for well, phone calls (and I don't take calls in my cars either -- my phone is not even paired to my cars), plus some (light) texting and emailing. At home I use an iPad or my MacBook Pro for emails and internet related stuff.

[prostcfc]

Waze, which is owned by Google. Google Maps also lets you download maps for offline use, which is helpful when you're abroad and don't want to pay for a data plan.

[pseto]

People really use in-car navigation?

[e61it]

2021 BMW nav works very well. Waze, Apple Maps, etc. all work well too.

[Westside Guy]

Originally Posted by e61it

2021 BMW nav works very well. Waze, Apple Maps, etc. all work well too.

Except Waze and Google Maps aren’t integrated into the HUD like the BMW nav and Apple Maps. 😡

[No one]

Originally Posted by prostcfc

Google Maps also lets you download maps for offline use, which is helpful when you're abroad and don't want to pay for a data plan.

The first time I tried to use that it didn't show the offline map offline! It still needed an Internet connection I couldn't even provide as I was in the middle of a park with no cellular signal available. Luckily, the park wasn't large (or deserted) and I found my way out easily.

Right now, with a bunch or their shitty updates installed since, it does show the last map in a totally offline mode. But it still fails to determine my location unless I provide Internet (I miss my fucking GPS non-assisted! ). It does allow to switch offline maps manually (via search) if I went abroad though.

Their compass tried to work once and disappeared. But I know them and have a standalone compass application that doesn't seem to fail.

Don't bet your life on that shit unless you have a spare one.

[prostcfc]

Originally Posted by No one

The first time I tried to use that it didn't show the offline map offline! It still needed an Internet connection I couldn't even provide as I was in the middle of a park with no cellular signal available. Luckily, the park wasn't large (or deserted) and I found my way out easily.

Right now, with a bunch or their shitty updates installed since, it does show the last map in a totally offline mode. But it still fails to determine my location unless I provide Internet (I miss my fucking GPS non-assisted! ). It does allow to switch offline maps manually (via search) if I went abroad though.

Their compass tried to work once and disappeared. But I know them and have a standalone compass application that doesn't seem to fail.

Don't bet your life on that shit unless you have a spare one.

Strange. Sometimes, it initially lags, but my iPhone doesn't have a problem determining where I am in airplane mode, but the wifi radio must be on too (doesn't need to be connected to any network, just on). I was just on a cruise in the middle of the Caribbean, and it generally was able to find where I was.

[BMWbiker]

Originally Posted by pseto

People really use in-car navigation?

I drive often enough where there is no cellular, that I do better with in-car navigation (most of the time).

[agorski]

Originally Posted by prostcfc

Google Maps also lets you download maps for offline use, which is helpful when you're abroad and don't want to pay for a data plan.

Apple Maps also does this now, I believe starting with iOS 17.

[No one]

Originally Posted by prostcfc

Strange. Sometimes, it initially lags, but my iPhone doesn't have a problem determining where I am in airplane mode, but the wifi radio must be on too (doesn't need to be connected to any network, just on). I was just on a cruise in the middle of the Caribbean, and it generally was able to find where I was.

What is WiFi radio? I spent a priceless seashore night trying to "mirror" my phone on a "smart" TV. It never happened for longer than about 30 seconds as they wanted a WiFi (of course they didn't need the Internet to communicate being side by side!). Technically, they might just depend on an unnecessary check if there is an online connection, or they may want to stream your privacy outside. Finally I used the TV's "smartness" via my phone's mobile Internet made available through WiFi.

[lowrydr310]

Originally Posted by Westside Guy

Except Waze and Google Maps aren’t integrated into the HUD like the BMW nav and Apple Maps. 😡

I use a vent clip on my dash and mount my phone there. I might look like an Uber driver, but it works well.

CarPlay and Android Auto are cool, but I don't like how it locks features out while the vehicle is in motion and I am not a fan of voice commands. The phone on the dash works perfectly and always stays updated with the latest maps and software.

Usually it's Google Maps, but I occasionally use Waze too. However, I might be paranoid, and I suspect they both slightly modify routing to put you closer to their advertisers. I also noticed that lately Google maps seems to frequently suggest routes that make me turn left or go straight across busy multi lane roads with no traffic light or no stop sign for cross traffic.

[No one]

Originally Posted by lowrydr310

I use a vent clip on my dash and mount my phone there.

I trust the vents to do their job. I have a nice flat surface instead of the ugly screen that would stick out there to mount a removable phone holder (an arm on a suction cup). I only used it once though: it's pretty sufficient just to hear the audio guiding, I don't really need to see the road I see duplicated on the screen (unless I've no idea where I am going).

Originally Posted by lowrydr310

I might be paranoid, and I suspect they both slightly modify routing to put you closer to their advertisers. I also noticed that lately Google maps seems to frequently suggest routes that make me turn left or go straight across busy multi lane roads with no traffic light or no stop sign for cross traffic.

They should trust you to be fast once you're not dead. When my previous phone suddenly took me off a convenient highway to a side road I thought it was to bypass a jam but it turned out I was guided through a "favorite" POI I did not intend to visit that time.

[ddavtian]

Originally Posted by Westside Guy

Except Waze and Google Maps aren’t integrated into the HUD like the BMW nav and Apple Maps. 😡

They are when using Android Auto.

[Westside Guy]

Originally Posted by ddavtian

They are when using Android Auto.

I wonder why? 😂