Navigation package

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maoulicious
Posts: 3
Joined: Tue Dec 22, 2020 10:58 pm

Post by maoulicious »

Hello,

I just spoke to my car dealer about the navigation system. He told me that if he were to choose, he would just pick the smartphone link over the sensus navigation due to it not being able to consider current traffic. The downside to picking the smartphone link instead, would mean that I can't ude the dashboard navigation, and that the smartphone link navigation dont utilize fullscreen, but only shows in the bottom..
Any thoughts?

DanishPastry
Posts: 134
Joined: Mon Sep 14, 2020 4:07 pm
Location: West London

Post by DanishPastry »

If I understand you correctly, your dealer is suggesting you use 'Car Play' (itself a +£300 option) so that you can use your Smartphone to provide a Satnav service in the car, rather than use the built-in Sensus Navigation.

As you have identified, that limits the display as well as not utilising the built-in satnav capability.

In my opinion, this is poor advice, although it's not completely cut and dried.

His key point is "the sensus navigation not being able to consider current traffic". That's somewhat unhelpful and misleading. Taking into account live traffic is absolutely essential to any satnav, but there are different ways of achieving this.

Built-in Sensus navigation can download live traffic (although still not as effectively as TomTom/GoogleMaps/AppleMaps IMHO) if you insert a data SIM card into the car. That was provided free for Model Year 2020 cars, but as you may see discussed hereabouts, you can just buy a '3' Data SIM 24 month/24GB from the likes of Argos or Amazon for ~ £36-£44.
MY2020 R-Design
RichardXC
Posts: 38
Joined: Tue Jul 21, 2020 8:45 pm

Post by RichardXC »

I reckon the built in system is a better option all around. Quite apart from the improved display, you will also get voice control, instructions in the centre display and several other features that make the Volvo system safer to operate.

Poor advice from the salesperson, demonstrating a lack of product knowledge IMO.

As a motorcyclist I am far from convinced that phone-mirroring solutions are a good idea in cars. One only has to look at how distracted many (and I mean a large proportion of) drivers are to see the dangers.
eugen61
Posts: 1211
Joined: Sun May 10, 2020 7:33 am

Post by eugen61 »

maoulicious wrote: Tue Dec 22, 2020 11:33 pm Hello,

I just spoke to my car dealer about the navigation system. He told me that if he were to choose, he would just pick the smartphone link over the sensus navigation due to it not being able to consider current traffic. The downside to picking the smartphone link instead, would mean that I can't ude the dashboard navigation, and that the smartphone link navigation dont utilize fullscreen, but only shows in the bottom..
Any thoughts?
Actually, you can have both Sensus Navigation with the map shown on the central console or dashboard AND phone navigation app voice directions at the same time without connecting your smartphone with cable link to Sensus:

1. Connect your phone to the car using Bluetooth.
2. Open the navigation app of your choice on your phone (Maps, Google, Waze, TomTom, etc). In navigation app settings, find the Sound options and choose “Play sound as Bluetooth phone call”.
3. Set destination on phone navigation app.
4. Open Sensus navigation on you car’s central screen. Set destination and MUTE the voice guidance.
5. Start driving. You’ll see the Sensus navigation map on screen, but the voice guidance will come through the speakers from the phone navigation app.

I drive in places with thousands of Waze and GoogleMap users in traffic, therefore the app data is much more accurate compared to Sensus Navigation traffic. I use this setup when I don’t want to plug-in my phone for CarPlay. I also use an automation that opens Waze when my phone connects to the car’s Bluetooth, so I don’t even have to touch my phone. Sensus Music (Spotify, USB music files) and Radio are also working at the same time, music being interrupted only by alerts or navigation guidance that’s being pushed into Sensus as Bluetooth phone calls from Waze.

Beware, this setup is far from ideal and has limitations. Sometimes, Waze tells me to take a right turn, while Sensus is showing me to drive straight ahead :lol: Therefore, if you’re not familiar with the roads, lanes and intersections you’re driving, than use only one source of both visual and audio guidance.
ropetko
Posts: 223
Joined: Sat Dec 05, 2020 9:28 pm
Location: Rijeka, Croatia
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Post by ropetko »

I do have a data SIM card in my car but there's no RTTI in Croatia, so sometimes while driving through some cities I do use the same "trick" that @eugen61 mentioned: use Sensus navigation on board AND Google Maps on my iPhone. Google voice navigation will be heard via car speakers due to Bluetooth setup and if I put my iPhone in the "ashtray" near the wireless charger, I'm partially able to look at iPhone screen to see the navigation. Still, its voice guidance is enough for live traffic, while looking at Sensus navigation on driver's display to get the overview. No need to use the Apple CarPlay because that will shut the Sensus navigation,
XC40 D4 AWD R-Design 140 kW 2018
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