navigation system grays out when driving

[rossman]

Hi!

I just bought a 2010 CSX-9 with navigation. I noticed that when the vehicle is in motion, I cannot set a new destination or enter an address. The options are grayed out. I think this is for safety reasons but the assumption seems to be that only the driver will use the system. What about when a passenger is able to change things while I am focused on the road? Does anyone know if this can be altered?

The entertainment options are not grayed out - such as being able to change radio stations, use the phonebook to call someone etc. so why lock out navigation options?

 

[SeCX-9]

Hi!

I just bought a 2010 CSX-9 with navigation. I noticed that when the vehicle is in motion, I cannot set a new destination or enter an address. The options are grayed out. I think this is for safety reasons but the assumption seems to be that only the driver will use the system. What about when a passenger is able to change things while I am focused on the road? Does anyone know if this can be altered?

The entertainment options are not grayed out - such as being able to change radio stations, use the phonebook to call someone etc. so why lock out navigation options?

Sorry to say, but it's operating the way Mazda intended it to operate. You cannot set Navigation while the car is moving. With that said, you CAN navigate to POI locations or some preset destinations.

 

[ceric]

Hi!
The entertainment options are not grayed out - such as being able to change radio stations, use the phonebook to call someone etc. so why lock out navigation options?

Because it takes longer time to enter an address ?!?!

Toyota/Lexus/Mazda NAVI systems do the same lockout. Maybe other automakers do that also.

 

[rossman]

Yes, navigating through POIs, memory points stored prior to driving works well so not too bad. Thanks for your reply.

 

[Cambuntu]

Here in Australia the Nav screen is not blanked out while driving , you can make any entries you want. However the phonebook is grayed out while we are moving!

 

[mr2guru]

What's the process to bypass this? Cut the VSS input wire to the HU?

 

[ceric]

The VSS is the purple wire behind the HU.
If you install a single throw switch in between, you can cut it off when you want to
enter address. Then, you switch it back when you are done. This is a rough idea.

On the web, you can find a guy who designed a simple circuit (with 555 IC and a few resistors and capacitors)
to form a circuit that outputs pulses that "simulate" a speed right below 5mph. (you can use a variable resistor
for fine tuning) The idea is to "fool" the system into thinking that the current speed is 4.9mph (below 5mph)
so that the NAVI system does not grey out.

Why? People who have done that claimed that when VSS is cut off, the NAVI system might be "dumb" for
a few minutes even after you reconnected it back. This might not be pretty. The reason is simple. NAVI of cars
reply heavily on the steering angles and VSS input to "interpolate/extrapolate" your current positions even
when GPS signal is lost. In fact GPS signal is only used by periodical checking. I can turn off GPS
signal on my NAVI and my NAVI system actually acts very normal for 99% of the time except when I got into
a traffic jam at which point, the steering angle/VSS input becomes white noises, and the position starts to err off
the map (even into the Pacific Ocean!).

So, the best idea is to create the IC board (a weekend job if you are electronic savvy) to fool the system.
Installing a cut-off switch is simple and might show strange behavior.
I have not tried either of them, but I did my research into this topic.

More reading if interested;
http://www.tundrasolutions.com/forums/tundra/109282-diy-navigation-unlocked-sucessfully/
http://www.tundrasolutions.com/forums/tundra/110944-diy-all-nav-functions-all-time/
Circuit board design here: (post#23)
http://www.tundrasolutions.com/forums/tundra/110944-diy-all-nav-functions-all-time-2/

(NOTE: our Denso system is similar to Toyota's)

 

[nuru]

Because it takes longer time to enter an address ?!?!

Toyota/Lexus/Mazda NAVI systems do the same lockout. Maybe other automakers do that also.

Benz does not, you can reset navigation while in motion. Actually that really sucks that you cannot reset during motion like most NAV units out there let you you do that especially the ones that employ the voice command features. Benz allows you to do it in voice, it limits you when you try to type though.