AudiQ5sleeper

im only 28. I still think the Navi is worth it. the bad thing about smart phones. If your using the GPS and next thing someone calls. you will have interrupt the Navi. And if loss of signal is not a great idea.

soonerfan

I'm way over 50 (64 and counting) and agree that the smart phone GPS is likely better than the Audi GPS. However, I can see the MMI screen a heck of a lot better than the screen on the iPhone. Plus, I like the info displayed on the driver information display directly in front of me to glance at.
It would be wonderful if Audi would partner with Garmin.....but pigs will grow wings before that takes place.

spijun

The solution is simple: buy a Garmin for $ 150-350 (3.5" ,4.3", 5,0", 6,0" or 7.0" screen) with lifetime maps free upgrades . You can also use it in pedestrian mode

AudiQ5sleeper

I know, but when there is no signal the Garmin will stop working. its weird over here. I have a Garmin GPS too the signal cuts off or takes forever to find a signal.

ELEVENS

I'd like to add to the discussion that what Audi did (does) forcing customers to buy the NAV to get a safety item such as Bluetooth hands-free phone integration is unethical, if not criminal. I didn't want the NAV but bought it anyway to get BT phone and a few other nice options.

NAV is such a huge cash cow for Audi that I don't see anything changing.

jbbarrette

If all you wanted was BT, there are lots if other modules you could have bought that hook up the stick stereo for a lot less.

I personally like the look of the integrated system, not to mention it's better for resale when the time comes.

habu987

Honestly, what would be my ideal nav system in a car would be embedded Google Maps. Many cars these days (and almost all Audis, in this case) come with a cellular connection. Offer the same Google Maps that you can get on your phone, and Google takes care of the updates. The only reason I can think of as to why that hasn't happened yet is that nav systems are one of the remaining pure cash cows for the auto manufacturers, since many of the formerly high dollar, high margin items are now standard features.

Q5 TDI

The auto industry has been bundling options, as well as making them unavailable as stand alone options for years - it's not just Audi. Unethical and criminal? Hardly. Nav is the go-to option that all car manufacturers are making money off of at the moment. Name one auto maker that provides Nav at a reasonable price.

superswiss

Let me offer a few thoughts here. I agree with everybody, that in the future, car navigation systems need to be updatable OTA.

However, the current alternatives are not exactly perfect, either. Let's take smartphones. Most smartphones today become useless as a mapping and navigation device the moment you lose cellular connection. There is currently only one mobile OS, which does offline maps the right way out of the box and that's Windows Phone 8 in conjunction with HERE Maps/Drive. I currently use a Nokia Lumia 920 and the main reason I switched to Windows Phone is proper offline maps. I frequently travel internationally. I still got the Navi in my RS5 and I use it regularly on road trips. I pretty much always have to take the lead when we go on trips with friends, because they all either have iPhones or Android phones and they have to resort to paper maps in unfamiliar areas in NorCal where cell reception is frequently spotty once you leave the major areas. It's always quite amusing to me.

The other thing about smartphones here in California is that it is technically illegal to use them as a GPS device. You are not allowed to have your smartphone in plain view while driving. On top of that, legally there are only two small areas on the windshield where you are allowed to mount a GPS device and that's on the lower left and right corner of the windshield. The legal area is actually too small for most devices.

These are just some consideration. At the end of the day, the MMI is an interior upgrade and provides other features important to me besides Navi. For example the Drive Select Individual mode.

spijun

I've never had a problem with Garmin
No GPS signal - navigation does not work (car or mobile )

The new generation of the Q5 will have 4G with Google maps and navigation will work without a GPS signal