Live Traffic Updates on Navi

[hoss409]

Hi All,

Just picked up a 2014 3i GT Jet Black and so far loving it. Does anyone know how to get live traffic updates when you aren't in a WiFi area? I've read in other threads that you can use your cell phone as long as it has internet connectivity but so far I have had no luck in getting this to work...

Any suggestions? There's got to be a way to get traffic outside of WiFi spots. Thanks for any help!

 

[mrkapawutzis]

Are you using, or does your cellular provider even allow the use of your phone for wifi tethering? I was having trouble getting live traffic updates even though my phone can act as a wifi hotspot until I realized (stupid me) that you actually have to go into the car settings to connect it to your phone since it doesn't do it automatically.

What I don't understand is why the Navigation doesn't use the HD radio traffic.

 

[Reacher]

What I don't understand is why the Navigation doesn't use the HD radio traffic.

Agreed. It's my understanding that it will use XM updates for traffic, but I haven't tried it yet.

 

[hoss409]

I have an iphone 5 through ATT so I could technically (I believe) turn it into a hotspot, but is this the only way to get live traffic updates? I'm new to in dash navigation systems, but doesn't the built in navigation system itself have the capabilities to stream live traffic without the use of any type of WiFi? Is there any kind of service you need to buy from Mazda (or Tomtom) to just enable it?

I saw that you can get a traffic map using the HD radio but you can't zoom in, and you can't overlay your current location to it. Just seems strange to me. I can get traffic for free with my Google maps app or Waze but my expensive car navigation can't do it.

Kinda hope I'm missing something here.

Thanks for the help everyone!

 

[Reacher]

Our nav system isn't through Tomtom. It's done through Naviextras, you can do updates to it HERE. I wish it was through Tomtom or Garmin, but We have to work with what we have. My biggest gripe is that the voice can't even say the word "road" correctly. It's very irritating and I don't see a way to get it to just say "turn left" and skip the street name like I do with my Garmin.

 

[hoss409]

So were we supposed to get traffic free for say 3 months or something like that? Then have to update using naviextras? Or were we supposed to just pay for an upgrade right after we purchased the car?
I guess I'm still kinda unclear as to why this appears so complicated, and why the dealer really didn't even touch on it. Has anyone gotten traffic updates without using any kind of WiFi? Including tethered lines.

I still believe there's got to be a simple solution to this. Thanks again!

 

[erickbe]

Our nav system isn't through Tomtom. It's done through Naviextras, you can do updates to it HERE. I wish it was through Tomtom or Garmin, but We have to work with what we have. My biggest gripe is that the voice can't even say the word "road" correctly. It's very irritating and I don't see a way to get it to just say "turn left" and skip the street name like I do with my Garmin.

Heh. It doesn't say Illinois right either - a lot of stuff is just odd voice wise. I thought my Subaru Nav was a bit strange for voice, etc this one beats it. It also thinks my hometown in WI on Il/WI border is in IL and on navigation it has city name, IL and second line says Wisconsin so it is half right. I've filled out the feedback for on map issues on the Naviextras web page a few times already. I haven't had this IL/WI map issue with past systems I've used, the only place I've seen my hometown in IL is on Facebook check ins.

 

[nitsuj]

$69/year for the following features (requires the car to be therthered to a phone):
Local Search
Fuel Price Information
Live Traffic
Live Weather Information

You get a 60 day free trial. After 60 days you have to pay for the above features. The Navi Extra's site was updated and the link I had to where I got this information is no longer valid.

 

[KuroHouou]

I am glad our Nav isn't through Tom Tom, they are the worst now.. Apple Maps uses them too and that's half their problem.. They think my house is in the middle of a Golf Course. Ill take anything else over Tom Tom.. Just waiting for the day I can get Google Maps as Nav (not on my phone).. that will be the day!!

 

[hoss409]

Was at the dealer yesterday for a few hours trying to figure this out. He said there should be a way to get live traffic and weather updates without using a tethered phone. Almost every other car navigation in the world is capable of acquiring its own updates without the need for a wifi tethered phone. I'm going to call Sirius today and discuss this, as well as naviextra. I'll post back with any news. Until then I ask...

Has anybody discovered how to update traffic/weather WITHOUT using a tethered wifi phone. The need for this still does not make any sense to me. Aha can read the traffic, but not apply it the map or route. Same with stitcher. How is it that my moms 7 year old crappy garmin is capable of this but our brand new $20K+ car is not... Does not make sense to me.

 

[nitsuj]

It's by design. They (NaviExtras) wants to get $70/year out of you so they lock the features behind a pay wall. Given the glitches I've seen with the trial period there is likely a way to infinitely extend the trial period. I had it tell me my trial period would end in -15996 days at one point so I doesn't appear to be well written software.

That said I do get free traffic through the HD Radio app, just not integrated into the GPS.

 

[hoss409]

Thanks for explaining it further. Sorry but a couple more questions. So even if you have to pay for the connected services, do you still require a tethered phone to even access them? Or does the service update on its own?

Unfortunately I only have my work phone and they don't allow tethering. Plus even if I could that would be the $70/yr for the service, plus an extra $240/yr for tethering ($20/mo through att). That's over $300 extra a year just for traffic and weather updates. Seems like quite the scam to me.

So I guess the ultimate question is, can you use naviextras services without using a tethered phone?

Thanks for all the info! I really appreciate it!

 

[nitsuj]

A phone is require or some mobile hotspot. I could switch to a tethering plan, but then I lose my grandfathered in unlimited plan.
If the connected services were free or a hell of a lot cheaper I would just get one of these Freedom Pop devices with the free 500mb plan or the free 200mb data plan for life with tablets t-mobile offers.
http://thenextweb.com/mobile/2013/0...eedompop-begins-offering-lte-mobile-hotspots/
http://www.t-mobile.com/landing/free-mobile-internet-data.html

As it stands the connected services are a complete rip off.

 

[hoss409]

Yeah it seems like quite the rip off for sure. Little disappointed in mazda for going this route.

Thanks for all the info! I guess if I need traffic updates I'll have to continue to use my very free and very simple google map app on my phone. What a waste of a good opportunity for mazda... And a pain in the ass for us

 

[KuroHouou]

I hope Mazda changes their way on this and fixes it in an update, every other nav system can do traffic with the nav system through at least HD Radio, seems like it would be a good practice for Mazda to follow. This is why I hate in car nav systems, they should just be dumb screens and my phones app should be able to display on it (Google Maps or Waze or whatever). That way I don't have to worry about Mazda releasing updates, they can save costs by not paying to develop an in house nav system or pay a 3rd party, and everyone gets to use whatever nav software they want (from their phone). I have to say, I just bought the car today and this is the biggest let down of them all for the car.

 

[SayNoToPistons]

Surprising that Mazda's new infotainment does not feed traffic info off FM frequencies like the older infotainment in the CX-5 and Mazda6... Most use navi just for traffic alone. I know I do.