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Which is a fine idea, until you drive to a different country and the data connection starts costing a fortune. I have a 2016 Hyundai Tucson. To obtain the traf
by phillc73 10y ago
Which is a fine idea, until you drive to a different country and the data connection starts costing a fortune.
I have a 2016 Hyundai Tucson. To obtain the traffic camera alerts, I need to tether my phone to the car. The car then uses my phone's data connection to obtain the latest traffic updates. However, whenever I drive out of my home country, which is quite often as I live in Central Europe, I turn off my phone's data connection. Otherwise, I'm slugged with a big bill for data roaming.
If I had to use the phone's data connection for, as an example, the entire navigation system, it would seriously degrade the experience once I'd left the borders of my home country. As it is now, I already lose the convenience of traffic camera alerts.
I appreciate there are options - OsmAnd with local maps, a better data roaming package or simply rely on paper maps. Nonetheless, I don't believe relying entirely on the phone for in-car functionality is viable until data roaming has been addressed.
- mherrmann 10y agoI live in Austria, so can relate. But "just a screen and buttons" does not mean "permanent internet access". It could/should work without inet as well. But really, who wants car nav systems, when Google Maps on my phone is so much better?
- tonyedgecombe 10y agoFirst world problems :)
- tracker1 10y agoSo, use an app with offline data and maps for the areas you are roaming into...
- phillc73 10y agoPerhaps I didn't make my point very clearly. Relying on a phone for in-car updates, such as traffic, is already an issue due to data roaming. Relying entirely on the phone will exacerbate this. I appreciate there are offline mapping solutions, which I noted. However, there are probably also other edge cases I haven't specifically considered.
- tracker1 10y agoHow do you propose you get in-traffic updates without some sort of data feed? You can't turn it off in any apps? Also, does your in-built navigation have this feature?
- phillc73 10y agoI think we really are talking at cross purposes. Yes, my in-built navigation system requires me to tether my phone to receive traffic updates. No tethering, no traffic updates or traffic camera alerts. I don't have an alternative solution and understand a data connection is required for this functionality to work. My point was that already I lose this service if I travel out of my own country and turn the data connection off to save money. If the car only had "a screen and a few buttons", relying on the phone for everything, much more functionality could become hamstrung without a data connection. I appreciate there are offline mapping solutions, but there are probably other service edge cases I haven't considered.
- tracker1 10y agoBut the UI wouldn't be stuck with something from 5+ years ago for a car that should last 15-20 years. My year old car's screen came with a UI that felt dated out of the box. If it were my phone driving the thing, at least the UX would be current, and with data, even more could work... I wouldn't be any less well off, even without data, unless my phone were broken or forgotten.
- tokenizerrr 10y agoSo you're not responding to the parent comment at all? The comment: > I think it should be that way with cars. Just include a screen and some buttons, then let people connect their smart phones. Your situation as described: A built-in navigation system which is quite a bit more than just a screen and some buttons. It just happens to use your phone for data connection.
- Dylan16807 10y ago
- kalleboo 10y agoAt least the EU recognizes the increased importance of data roaming and are working to abolish the extra charges hopefully this year.