This is why everyone hates in-car navigation systems

[OrbitalDawn]

http://www.theverge.com/2015/2/5/7982525/in-car-navigation-systems-are-terrible

Subaru recently posted a YouTube video touting Starlink, the company's in-house navigation and entertainment system. You'd think they'd make it look good; companies are typically in the business of making their products seem like pure, unfiltered magic. Not Subaru, which is apparently content to let its in-dash electronics trainwreck over the course of one minute, 43 seconds.

"Tablet-like"? What kind of jacked-up tablet are you using, Subaru?

Let's unpack what just happened here. A gentleman — a paid spokesperson in an official Subaru video — tried to zoom in on a map. Starlink eventually got around to zooming in at something like three frames per second. If this happened on your iPhone, your Galaxy S5, your Moto X, or what have you, you'd say "something is seriously wrong" and you'd reboot or close some apps or go to Geek Squad or place your phone in a garbage disposal and flip the switch.

There's more!

Why is this okay on a shipping product in 2015? (It's not.) Put a giant, steam-powered processor in your car, Subaru. Just throw more horsepower at this nonsense. Or, you know, just turn your electronics over to Apple and Google, who are doing good things with CarPlay and Android Auto.

Apart from some rare exceptions like Hyundai — which is offering a CarPlay- and Android Auto-only dash option — car companies are still trying to own the experience. They're not consumer electronics companies, and they're not generally good at it. It's so painfully obvious and so widely accepted, sadly, that Subaru isn't even trying to hide it.

Eish, Subaru!

 

[Sepeng]

Yup and they're not the only ones.

Does anyone own the new Honda Ballade? Apparently you can connect your phone and your Google Maps app appears on the car screen? Read about it, just wanted to confirm how well it works as this seems to be a decent cheap solution?

 

[paul5186]

I hope more car manufacturers partner with e.g samsun, lg, google etc to provide decent tablet like systems.

 

[Nuro]

I think cars should simply have a placeholder for a regular tablet. You could use simple plastic brackets to make sure it can take a wide range of tablets. My music, personal info, various accounts, pre-paid date etc. already sit on my tablet. The car manufacturer could supply an app to better integrate with the car, for example tuning radio stations.

 

[Maverick Jester]

Stupid by Subaru. Consumers will just replace these with aftermarket head units that support CarPlay and Android Auto in any event, or what a number of Subaru owners have already done and use an actual tablet instead.

 

[Bona Botse]

I think cars should simply have a placeholder for a regular tablet. You could use simple plastic brackets to make sure it can take a wide range of tablets. My music, personal info, various accounts, pre-paid date etc. already sit on my tablet. The car manufacturer could supply an app to better integrate with the car, for example tuning radio stations.

Excerpt from Options List:
Navigation System Plus - R25,000.00
Tablet Placeholder - R30,000.00
Smart App Integration - R12,000.00

 

[WaxLyrical]

Excerpt from Options List:
Navigation System Plus - R25,000.00
Tablet Placeholder - R30,000.00
Smart App Integration - R12,000.00

Wtf?

Or just get a Garmin for R2k.

 

[Nuro]

Excerpt from Options List:
Navigation System Plus - R25,000.00
Tablet Placeholder - R30,000.00
Smart App Integration - R12,000.00

Nice try! It's not April the 1st yet.

 

[TJ99]

Excerpt from Options List:
Navigation System Plus - R25,000.00
Tablet Placeholder - R30,000.00
Smart App Integration - R12,000.00

Oh, did you want it to play sound through the car's speakers as well? Then you need the Sooper-Dooper Ultraconnector Option as well, R 7500.

 

[TJ99]

Excerpt from Options List:
Navigation System Plus - R25,000.00
Tablet Placeholder - R30,000.00
Smart App Integration - R12,000.00

Oh, did you want it to play sound through the car's speakers as well? Then you need the Sooper-Dooper Ultraconnector Option as well, R 7500.

 

[Type RSA]

Where is Fazda?!!

 

[Pitbull]

Where is Fazda?!!

These prices are the reason he could retire

 

[Bryn]

Anyone buying a car with a satnav system should know to check it out in the showroom before buying. It's pretty funny that Subaru would save you the trouble of wondering whether or not to buy their satnav though.