[sunscreemer]

Hi, i've got the Pro Nav and having hardly used it yet thought i'd test it while going to my Dad's last weekend. On searching through my phone contacts via the Bluetooth connection I selected my Dad, who has a full (and not new) address in my contacts, however the system wasn't recognising it. It seems to be the case with any address in my address book. I can take screen shots and post them to explain further, but it's just not seeing and recognising the UK post codes/addresses.

Any assistance?

[Cilonen]

The structure of the address needs to match what the car expects to see.

Does the same on mine if it tries to pull the address from my contacts where the country isn't listed in the address (needs to be Great Britain for the UK).

Happens therefore to 99% of my contacts as they are in the UK and I wouldn't think of putting GB into their address info!

[sunscreemer]

Hmmm, tried adding GB/UK to the end of my contacts in my address book but it still doesn't work - it is even thinking my destination is in the Netherlands. If I go to manual entry I can put the postcode within the contact and it comes up fine. Most annoyed with this.

[stefan4]

Didnt even realise you can do this - more play time

[Zero71]

I just put my dad's address in manually and then saved it to the car for next time. Another option is installing the BMW Remote app, searching for the address in Google, then sending that to the car and saving it. It's not great at relating the iPhone address to the car's address format sadly - that said, in most cases if the address is in your contacts you probably know how to get there.

[sunscreemer]

Originally Posted by stefan4

Didnt even realise you can do this - more play time

I entered a few addresses directly into the car (my various work addresses) but all of my other (personal) addresses are in my iPhone. Hence when i've synched I can look at them, but despite them supposedly being in the correct address book format, post code and all, the Nav system keeps trying to look at another country! It's getting very frustrating. It already won't recognise my home address full stop as it's a two year old estate (so the nav data is at least a year old).

[sunscreemer]

Originally Posted by zerolight

I just put my dad's address in manually and then saved it to the car for next time. Another option is installing the BMW Remote app, searching for the address in Google, then sending that to the car and saving it. It's not great at relating the iPhone address to the car's address format sadly - that said, in most cases if the address is in your contacts you probably know how to get there.

It is defeating the point though - I have a whole address book of correctly formatted addresses with a clear post code in a separate field and a new, very expensive Navigation system cannot cope with it!

Even though the addresses are in my phone I don't know how to find many of them, or I only know one route so if there is a problem on the route and I have to go a different way (or it's in the dark!) i'm scuppered.

Will be very annoying if i have to manually send to car then save direct to the car for each address I want to navigate to. Surely I paid my cash to avoid such problems.

[browellm]

Originally Posted by sunscreemer

It already won't recognise my home address full stop as it's a two year old estate (so the nav data is at least a year old).

That sounds a bit disappointing. As it's pulling the data from Google Maps, I'd assumed there would be a reasonably regular OTA update taking place.

Does anyone know if it can be done or is it a trip to the dealer?

[Zero71]

No OTA updates to the maps, and if you want an update, it's a vast sum of cash. Maps always tend to be somewhat out of date, so if you are travelling to a new estate then there's a good chance that it won't have it. It's the same for a great many Sat Nav options. Though it's not so common to have a hefty fee for an upgrade.

That said, almost anywhere I am likely to want navigation to - usually a business - or just guidance down south, is in there someplace. Often I know where I am going once I get close, so commonly I will set nav to the center of a village and follow my nose thereafter.

[Floriank]

Too be honest, the BMW Professional Navigation system is appalling value for money and it's navigational prowess is trumped by even the most lowly TomTom (costing a tenth or even less).

In the past I have always shunned all inbuilt navigation systems in favour of using a TomTom (other makes available, although not as good ) but after taking a hit when selling my last BMW as it didn't have factory built navigation I went for the Professional system on my new one.

What a load of rubbish! Maps were out of date by over 2 years when vehicle was delivered, not showing major dual carriageway A-road changes, iPhone and Android contacts never sync with the navigation system, RTTI is pretty much hit-and-miss and routing often takes the longest and most awkward route (I can perfectly do that myself, thank you..)

Nothing BMW offers gets anywhere near TomTom's IQ routes or HD Traffic, the big screen is just nice to have for some of the other, glossy non-important stuff and it makes the car re-sellable, but that's about it, IMHO.

But hey, at least it has one free 'undocumented feature', it reboots itself mid-journey regularly

[TonyS]

Originally Posted by Floriank

Too be honest, the BMW Professional Navigation system is appalling value for money and it's navigational prowess is trumped by even the most lowly TomTom (costing a tenth or even less).

In the past I have always shunned all inbuilt navigation systems in favour of using a TomTom (other makes available, although not as good ) but after taking a hit when selling my last BMW as it didn't have factory built navigation I went for the Professional system on my new one.

What a load of rubbish! Maps were out of date by over 2 years when vehicle was delivered, not showing major dual carriageway A-road changes, iPhone and Android contacts never sync with the navigation system, RTTI is pretty much hit-and-miss and routing often takes the longest and most awkward route (I can perfectly do that myself, thank you..)

Nothing BMW offers gets anywhere near TomTom's IQ routes or HD Traffic, the big screen is just nice to have for some of the other, glossy non-important stuff and it makes the car re-sellable, but that's about it, IMHO.

But hey, at least it has one free 'undocumented feature', it reboots itself mid-journey regularly

I'm assuming that you have the new nav system since you drive an F31? My 2012 F30 Pro Nav (the older system) doesn't suffer from any of those issues and I'm generally very happy with it.

Have you checked with your dealer whether there are any firmware/map updates for your system?

[Zero71]

Originally Posted by Floriank

But hey, at least it has one free 'undocumented feature', it reboots itself mid-journey regularly

I'd get that checked out. Mine doesn't. I agree that it is very over priced, but I'd also suggest that the quality of the maps are greatly dependent on where you are in the country. I've not had any issues at all with the maps in my car - granted the M8 bypass at the Kingston Bridge is missing, but it's missing on every Sat Nav I've tried and really, at that point it doesn't matter, I know where I am and the car picks up just fine at the start and end of the bypass.

It's worth checking out the route options. You can tell it to take the shortest and fastest route, which for some reason is not the default.

It's really disappointing that map updates aren't free. It's also disappointing that they aren't frequent - there must be licensing issues. I know that the map supplier has up to date maps for many of these areas, but they aren't on the latest maps BMW supply - I read they are only given the new maps every couple of years. Perhaps the supplier does so in order to sell their own map devices which get more frequent updates - who knows. It just seems like this isn't necessarily BMWs problem, but rather their supplier.

It's the same story on my Co-Pilot live - M8 bypass is missing. I just accept these things. Not worth worrying about - my sat nav gets me to where I need to go 99% of the time and very close the rest. And I don't need an ugly dock hanging in my car.

Personally, I rarely need sat nav. But the Pro Nav added the nice big screen, faster interface, and access to Maps when I do need it, without resorting to the phone. Does the job.

[Floriank]

Originally Posted by TonyS

I'm assuming that you have the new nav system since you drive an F31? My 2012 F30 Pro Nav (the older system) doesn't suffer from any of those issues and I'm generally very happy with it.

Have you checked with your dealer whether there are any firmware/map updates for your system?

No Tony, I haven't as yet - waiting for the first service which will be due soon.

I don't think even the latest map update has the Hindhead Tunnel included, considering that it opened in 2011 I would expect such a major road change to be included in a 2013 BMW model - TomTom had it's maps changed even before the tunnel had opened (which in itself caused issues for some drivers ) As you're based not far from me I'm sure your map is at least as out-of-date?

Whilst the F31 was 'blessed' by being launched with the latest navigation soft and hardware I think in many ways it's a step backwards for some of us 'lucky' ones as this has introduced quite a few bugs and problems but, hopefully, some of them will be sorted during the service visit.

Judging by the reports from a few other users I'm not holding my breath though...

[Floriank]

Originally Posted by zerolight

I'd get that checked out. Mine doesn't.

I know, there are only a few of us that are affected by this but this forum shows that it's not uncommon. And, if you fit the active brodit TomTom holder there are no suckers or cables anywhere, it's a very tidy solution.

In the grand scheme of things it's peripheral though - the car goes like a bat out of hell and is a big improvement on my previous 330d E91 in many areas - that's what really matters.

Just grates that BMW sells itself as a 'technologically advanced' company when some of the (very costly) basics lag behind so badly

[Torque of the Devil]

I don't have Pro Nav, at 2k is a complete rip off, would rather spend 2k on other options and use a Tom Tom for the rare times I need navigation for where I am going

[Floriank]

Originally Posted by Vanguard

I don't have Pro Nav, at 2k is a complete rip off, would rather spend 2k on other options and use a Tom Tom for the rare times I need navigation for where I am going

I totally agree with you Vanguard, and the only reason I went for it this time is due to the problems I had selling my previous E91 330d as it had no factory fitted navigation system. The second-hand market is awash with 3-series beemers and unless you have some 'goodies' on board many dealers are simply not interested or just offend you with their low offers.

Also, whilst I know a lot of the time where I'm going (somehow that sounds wrong!) I still like to have traffic updates for the journey. Frequently the A3, M25 and central London are involved and there are many routes leading to the same destination. Being re-routed live depending on traffic is valuable to me and a solid, 'latest map' and 'good traffic' navigation system is essential for this kind of thing.

[browellm]

Originally Posted by Floriank

Also, whilst I know a lot of the time where I'm going (somehow that sounds wrong!) I still like to have traffic updates for the journey. Frequently the A3, M25 and central London are involved and there are many routes leading to the same destination. Being re-routed live depending on traffic is valuable to me and a solid, 'latest map' and 'good traffic' navigation system is essential for this kind of thing.

Exactly the same here. The HD traffic system from TomTom is absolutely brilliant (when their servers haven't crashed), and I thought that this time around the RTTI system based on Google maps and their live traffic, would give me a comparable level of information.

From what you describe, that isn't the case at all

[Floriank]

Originally Posted by browellm

From what you describe, that isn't the case at all

I guess it's a half-way house. Better than TMC but nowhere near as good as HD.

Just uncanny how in the HD system you not only get correct jam reports but the end of the actual queue coincides with the end of the queue on the screen - often to the meter!

Also, I find the tiny coloured traffic line as shown next to the carriageway line in the BMW system often just too easy to overlook. It should be more obvious, thicker and in a brighter colour, for my tired old eyes anyway...

[F30AM]

Originally Posted by Floriank

Too be honest, the BMW Professional Navigation system is appalling value for money and it's navigational prowess is trumped by even the most lowly TomTom (costing a tenth or even less).

True!

In the past I have always shunned all inbuilt navigation systems in favour of using a TomTom (other makes available, although not as good ) but after taking a hit when selling my last BMW as it didn't have factory built navigation I went for the Professional system on my new one.

Yep. Try selling a car without!

What a load of rubbish! Maps were out of date by over 2 years when vehicle was delivered, not showing major dual carriageway A-road changes, iPhone and Android contacts never sync with the navigation system, RTTI is pretty much hit-and-miss and routing often takes the longest and most awkward route (I can perfectly do that myself, thank you..)

True!

Nothing BMW offers gets anywhere near TomTom's IQ routes or HD Traffic, the big screen is just nice to have for some of the other, glossy non-important stuff and it makes the car re-sellable, but that's about it, IMHO.

True again!

But hey, at least it has one free 'undocumented feature', it reboots itself mid-journey regularly

A small mercy.

Responses in Red.

I WANT MY £2000 REFUNDED.

[TonyS]

Originally Posted by Floriank

No Tony, I haven't as yet - waiting for the first service which will be due soon.

I don't think even the latest map update has the Hindhead Tunnel included, considering that it opened in 2011 I would expect such a major road change to be included in a 2013 BMW model - TomTom had it's maps changed even before the tunnel had opened (which in itself caused issues for some drivers ) As you're based not far from me I'm sure your map is at least as out-of-date?

I've just gone out to my car and checked, and I see what you mean about the Hindhead Tunnel. My car is an August 2012 build so I could maybe excuse it not being present if I was feeling generous, but if it's still not on the 2013 maps then that's pretty poor. I've not come across anything like that yet, so maybe I've just been lucky.

It's somewhat ironic that you mention TomTom changing it's maps early, as the BMW maps are sourced from Tele Atlas who are owned by...TomTom.

I hope you get the rest of your problems sorted out, anyway.

[TonyS]

Originally Posted by Floriank

No Tony, I haven't as yet - waiting for the first service which will be due soon.

I don't think even the latest map update has the Hindhead Tunnel included, considering that it opened in 2011 I would expect such a major road change to be included in a 2013 BMW model - TomTom had it's maps changed even before the tunnel had opened (which in itself caused issues for some drivers ) As you're based not far from me I'm sure your map is at least as out-of-date?

Even more crazy and hilarious is that if you go to the BMW Routes web site (https://www.bmw-routes.com/de/en/plan-routes/index.jsp) and put in a route from just south of the Hindhead Tunnel to just north of it, it draws a route along the old non-existent road even though the map clearly shows the tunnel.

[Floriank]

Originally Posted by TonyS

Even more crazy and hilarious is that if you go to the BMW Routes web site (https://www.bmw-routes.com/de/en/plan-routes/index.jsp) and put in a route from just south of the Hindhead Tunnel to just north of it, it draws a route along the old non-existent road even though the map clearly shows the tunnel.

I haven't seen this before but you're right - how embarrassing!

I think what's going on here is that the visible map overlay is from Google as shown in the bottom left-hand corner of the map and hence bang up-to-date but the underlying data structure is from an old TeleAtlas map file, hence the discrepancy in display and routing. If you do want to take the BMW route you'll need at least an X5 as the old road has been put back to nature...

I guess this also means that the latest map update will definitely NOT have the tunnel included as it's not even in the map data on their website.

Looks like BMW is in dire need of a little 'Vorsprung durch Technik' here