stanj

This sounds odd, contradicting to earlier posts that say that it's based on the number of updates but rather the model year (that even if you were to install only say 3 that the 2020 or whatever update would no longer be free regardless).

DirkM

From Audi Connect Map Update:

Note:
You can download and install the updates an unlimited number of times. The Map Update includes the first five updates to the version of the map installed at the factory. The updates are issued every six months.

bruce_miranda

Ideally speaking, my car should have come with the 2018 maps on it from the factory, given that it was produced in Apr 2018, but it didn't. It came with the 2017/2018 maps which would have been first released in June 2017. Hence why I have already had the 2018 update in May 2018 and now the 2018/2019 in June 2018. So I am 2 or 5 down already!
So I now have only 2019 (Dec 2018), 2019/2020 (June 2019) and 2020 (Dec 2019) available as free updates.

The contradiction is that some people will tell you that Audi comes with 3 years of free map updates. Which sounds fine because you read the 5 updates, once every 6 months and think it stacks up. But in my case in May 2020 my car will only be 2 years old and wont get another map update.

MRA5SB

Unless your regular commute/drive is an area where there is a significant amount of new construction, why would you need to update the map every time a new version is released? Sure, maybe for POI data I guess, but with Android Auto/Car Play or just the smart phone itself who is really missing out that much? I would probably just update once a year and stretch out my 5 free updates.
EDIT: Just read the previous posts about how the release counts as an update whether or not you actually did the update, so I guess you cant stretch out the updates for 5 years...oh well, AA FTW.

DirkM

You don't get 5 free updates, you the 5 updates released after the one that was factory installed for free. If the first update is done 3 years after the car was manufactured you will only get one free update (if that version is still downloadable at that time).

VM

Has Audi used this 'first 5 map updates are free' approach on any model before the B9 so we could have some idea what happens after 5 map updates?

I admit that my instinct has always been that after 5 updates, a 'buy link' will show up in the Audi connect web site, and if you hand over your credit card number, boom, you get to download the map. And if you have the map data from somewhere else... that it would install it on the car. It seems insane to me that the MMI software itself would somehow keep track of 5 updates and would refuse one too new to count in the 5 updates, and that a paid upgrade would somehow be packaged differently such that it could be installed, at least on that car but maybe not on others.

But just because I think something is insane doesn't mean that it hasn't been implemented by some Audi software developer...

bruce_miranda

There has not been a drive based MMI before this. and the 5 updates free policy is only for the drive based mmi. even on the B9 platform where the navigation is SD card based, there is no free updates.
People have already gotten to the point where their car will no longer accept a map update even if it was offered to it because it's a version higher than 5 from factory.

kralj3gs

bruce_miranda

Map don't expire, they just get old. Any SD card or USB stick is fine. So if you car updates, it will stay at that updated level until the next update.

securityguy

I do not think there will be a time when you cannot update the NAV after 5 updates. You will only have to pay for the download. I seriously doubt there is a "timer" in the MMI will never allow you to update past 5.