Audi maps???
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Banned
Joined: Jun 2012
Posts: 1,139
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From: CA
Audi maps???
I just read this story, interesting, if they want to take a different route than google maps, they still need them for the images I guess.
Audi Looks to Head Off Google With In-Car Map Updates - Bloomberg
Audi Looks to Head Off Google With In-Car Map Updates - Bloomberg
AudiWorld Super User
Joined: Nov 2013
Posts: 3,894
Likes: 55
From: 2014 Q5
"Fresh data is available for local roads or entire countries every six months, and customers get the first five updates free of charge."
It is not that they are cutting off Google, because Google updates errate on their maps at random intervals. And sometimes, Google refuses to make updates, for unexplained reasons. (I know this for a fact, I've notified them of errors and closed businesses, and sometimes they say thanks no thanks, they won't make a correction.)
It is more likely that Audi has finally heard our complaints about pretty much ALL automaker nav systems. If I buy a Garmin or Magellan product, I can buy it with lifetime map updates for $25 over the cost of a unit without updates. Or, I can buy a map update key for $75 and get lifetime updates, typically released 4x per year.
So the cost of getting the data accessed from the source, is $25-75 "for life" and that's 2-4x per year for 5-10 years, probably.
Automakers typically only license one update per year and charge $200 for it, which puts a very real financial incentive on car owners to buy a stand-alone GPS. So the automaker, playing piggy and selling the system for $1500? and asking another $1000 in updates? Is asking $2500 when you can buy a very nice standalone system with more updates for 1/20thof that. $100 on sale.
Bloomberg should have said "Audi realizes big piggies go to market, for slaughter."
Sure, an integrated piece of hardware is worth something extra. But $2300 extra? Ah, no. I need that to keep the household staff in silver polish.
It is not that they are cutting off Google, because Google updates errate on their maps at random intervals. And sometimes, Google refuses to make updates, for unexplained reasons. (I know this for a fact, I've notified them of errors and closed businesses, and sometimes they say thanks no thanks, they won't make a correction.)
It is more likely that Audi has finally heard our complaints about pretty much ALL automaker nav systems. If I buy a Garmin or Magellan product, I can buy it with lifetime map updates for $25 over the cost of a unit without updates. Or, I can buy a map update key for $75 and get lifetime updates, typically released 4x per year.
So the cost of getting the data accessed from the source, is $25-75 "for life" and that's 2-4x per year for 5-10 years, probably.
Automakers typically only license one update per year and charge $200 for it, which puts a very real financial incentive on car owners to buy a stand-alone GPS. So the automaker, playing piggy and selling the system for $1500? and asking another $1000 in updates? Is asking $2500 when you can buy a very nice standalone system with more updates for 1/20thof that. $100 on sale.
Bloomberg should have said "Audi realizes big piggies go to market, for slaughter."
Sure, an integrated piece of hardware is worth something extra. But $2300 extra? Ah, no. I need that to keep the household staff in silver polish.
AudiWorld Senior Member
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,206
Likes: 47
From: Toronto, Canada
"Fresh data is available for local roads or entire countries every six months, and customers get the first five updates free of charge."
It is not that they are cutting off Google, because Google updates errate on their maps at random intervals. And sometimes, Google refuses to make updates, for unexplained reasons. (I know this for a fact, I've notified them of errors and closed businesses, and sometimes they say thanks no thanks, they won't make a correction.)
It is more likely that Audi has finally heard our complaints about pretty much ALL automaker nav systems. If I buy a Garmin or Magellan product, I can buy it with lifetime map updates for $25 over the cost of a unit without updates. Or, I can buy a map update key for $75 and get lifetime updates, typically released 4x per year.
So the cost of getting the data accessed from the source, is $25-75 "for life" and that's 2-4x per year for 5-10 years, probably.
Automakers typically only license one update per year and charge $200 for it, which puts a very real financial incentive on car owners to buy a stand-alone GPS. So the automaker, playing piggy and selling the system for $1500? and asking another $1000 in updates? Is asking $2500 when you can buy a very nice standalone system with more updates for 1/20thof that. $100 on sale.
Bloomberg should have said "Audi realizes big piggies go to market, for slaughter."
Sure, an integrated piece of hardware is worth something extra. But $2300 extra? Ah, no. I need that to keep the household staff in silver polish.
It is not that they are cutting off Google, because Google updates errate on their maps at random intervals. And sometimes, Google refuses to make updates, for unexplained reasons. (I know this for a fact, I've notified them of errors and closed businesses, and sometimes they say thanks no thanks, they won't make a correction.)
It is more likely that Audi has finally heard our complaints about pretty much ALL automaker nav systems. If I buy a Garmin or Magellan product, I can buy it with lifetime map updates for $25 over the cost of a unit without updates. Or, I can buy a map update key for $75 and get lifetime updates, typically released 4x per year.
So the cost of getting the data accessed from the source, is $25-75 "for life" and that's 2-4x per year for 5-10 years, probably.
Automakers typically only license one update per year and charge $200 for it, which puts a very real financial incentive on car owners to buy a stand-alone GPS. So the automaker, playing piggy and selling the system for $1500? and asking another $1000 in updates? Is asking $2500 when you can buy a very nice standalone system with more updates for 1/20thof that. $100 on sale.
Bloomberg should have said "Audi realizes big piggies go to market, for slaughter."
Sure, an integrated piece of hardware is worth something extra. But $2300 extra? Ah, no. I need that to keep the household staff in silver polish.
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