Tesla Navigation question and comparison

[jontaa]

Hello Guys!

I currently own a 2016 Nissan Leaf, but have of course pre-booked a Model 3.
Using the Leafs navigation system I must say I was pleasantly surprised, and I also wonder how it stacks up against Teslas.

Here are some features that I wonder exist in Tesla:

* See list of closest charging stations (not only superchargers)
*When navigating a route, I can select if I want to go the fastest way, the most ECO way (using less energy), the shortest way or avoiding highways. We used it yesterday when driving home from our country hose. The fastest way was via a highway, but if I would have driven as per the regulation at 70 miles per hour, I wouldn't have reached my destination.
Selecting ECO meant it chose another way, which was shorter but had a lower speed limit, and we got all the way home on one charge. It also shows me how much charge I will have left with the different options.
Also when selecting the routes I can see them on the map before I make my selection, to see how different they are. (kinda like google maps)
Each selection shows me how long I would travel on the selection, how long it would take, and my charge level when arriving, together with the outline on the map for all the different choices (color coded)

*Telling me to keep left or right on the highway when one lane will break off to another location. Also shows a cartoon picture of how it will look and approximately what the signs will say over the road. And of course while the voice says "keep left" the picture shows exactly which of the left lanes I need to be in to continue on the correct path.
When going into a roundabout it will show a breakout cartoon picture of the roundabout, correct with the number of exists and which way I should go. Of course it also has a voice saying the same thing.
When getting close to an exit on the highway it will also show a picture how the exist ramp looks, and what the sign will say (exit number)
It also shows a bar that counts down the meters until the exit ramp so its easy to correlate with the actual road signs.

What it doesn't do, and what I wish Tesla does, is take into account traffic queues and such.Right now I need to run Waze as well to get that data.

 

[bob_p]

The major reason for purchasing a Tesla EV over another EV is Tesla's long range and the supercharger network. Other than the large touchscreen display, Tesla's software apps (navigation, media player, smartphone integration) may lag behind what's available on other vehicles (my 2007 Lexus had functionality not yet present in the Tesla navigation software - like waypoints and route customization).

One advantage Tesla has is that their philosophy (so far) has been to apply software updates to all of their cars. So when new features are added, all of the cars get the new features (if the hardware supports it) - not just the newest cars. So if Tesla does make improvements in their navigation software (like when they added the Trip Planner) - all of the cars should get it.

At least right now, Tesla doesn't have any competition for long range EVs. Hopefully they are using this time to address the software functionality gap - so that if/when another manufacturer does release a competitive long range EV, Tesla's software will be at least competitive, if not superior - and potential owners will not select competition because Tesla's software isn't as capable.

 

[mikeash]

I would hesitate to come to any conclusion about how the Model 3's navigation system will work based on the current state of things. Tesla hasn't done much with the system for a long time now, and I would not be surprised if there was a major overhaul for the Model 3, or even before.

That said, Tesla's system is pretty basic. There are almost no routing options. You tell it where you want to go and it gives you a route, and if you want a different route then you're on your own. The one exception to this is if you plan a sufficiently distant trip, you can have it automatically route you through Superchargers, or you can just have it route you direct and let you handle charging stops. It does show mocked-up exit graphics as you describe. It also does attempt to account for traffic, although the quality of that attempt is not always very good.

It will show non-Supercharger charging locations, but only official Tesla destination charges and chargers you've personally used. It doesn't have anything like PlugShare. You can pull up PlugShare on the car's browser, although it is really slow.

I will note that when you have a 200+ mile range, the option to have a slower but more efficient route is much less useful than it would be in a LEAF. Likewise for locating nearby chargers, it's rare to need anything other than Superchargers. Certainly there are scenarios where you'd want a more efficient route and where you'd want to find other chargers, but it's fairly uncommon for most people.

 

[Boatguy]

One advantage Tesla has is that their philosophy (so far) has been to apply software updates to all of their cars. So when new features are added, all of the cars get the new features (if the hardware supports it) - not just the newest cars. So if Tesla does make improvements in their navigation software (like when they added the Trip Planner) - all of the cars should get it.

The irony here is that if Tesla would ship working state of the art nav/infotainment software at the time of purchase we wouldn't be so dependent on OTA updates. We're mostly waiting for updates to bring the nav/infotainment up to where ICE cars have been for more than five years.

 

[WannabeOwner]

I get the same go-right-out-of-your-way route to work that my <spit> VW Golf gave me. Waze picks the optimal route ...

Perhaps lack of any improvement is because Tesla has been wanting best-of-breed and Waze has been their chosen answer and maybe? there has been some significant issue with Waze that prevented earlier adoption. Waze (on my phone) gives me "Feet" to the next manoeuvre, that would not be popular over here (Yards is what we can gauge for anything more than a few Feet)

 

[bob_p]

My 2007 Lexus had many useful nav features missing from my P85.

It's understandable that Tesla doesn't want to invest much in the current mashup of Navigon, Tesla and Google software & map data.

What we need is a single integrated app - that provides the expected functionality, integrates with the car's EV technology & charger network, and uses online maps (eliminating the "annual map updates").

Mirroring a smartphone's nav app on the touchscreen is not the solution.

We need a better navigation software app - that runs in the car - and on both the dashboard & touchscreen - with the same maps...

Has there been any indication from Tesla that they are planning to really fix this? Surely they aren't planning to keep the current mashup as their long term navigation solution...

 

[WannabeOwner]

Mirroring a smartphone's nav app on the touchscreen is not the solution

Dunno if you are a Waze user (e.g. as a Phone APP)? I like the real-time traffic info and in Waze that includes both detection of locations at which numerous drivers have ground to a halt and also user-reported incidents such as Policeman hiding-in-a-hedge , obstructions on the carriageway / car stopped on the roadside and roadworks just up ahead / around the next blind bend. The best maps, and faultless routing algorithms, wouldn't convert me unless the Navigation also had really good awareness of road conditions on the route, along with predictable heavy/rush-hour traffic and so on.

I agree that it also needs Supercharger / EV integration

 

[willcasp]

I have seen better functionality, but I have yet to see better maps than Google's (Waze)

 

[dgpcolorado]

I think the LEAF nav worked a bit better, although I used it rarely (because the LEAF couldn't go anywhere unfamiliar that I needed to navigate to, so why bother?). But "Tessie" is very useful for directing me to Supercharger Stations that would be difficult to find in unfamiliar locations otherwise. However, Tessie makes some strange choices as to routes and has incorrect road designations sometimes (even though the maps displayed are completely accurate, go figure). And some of the names used for highways (the "Tuskeegee Airmen Memorial Highway" for I-70 in Denver, huh?) and many pronunciations are very odd or strange or hard to understand. One thing I appreciate about Tessie is that when I miss a turn or choose a different route she adapts very quickly to the new route. That has been helpful a number of times.

 

[bob_p]

The Google maps on the 17" display are fantastic.

Unfortunately - that's not what is used for the navigation software...

 

[David_Cary]

Obviously entering addresses are much easier (voice nearly perfect) so that makes all the difference. That being said, no routing options. And lately (after last update), the route choices are almost always wrong. So I voted better but the routes now are terrible. But after my copilot checks that the route is good by phone, you are in good shape.

Traffic is fine. Add when you have it big - that makes a huge difference.

Just last night (travelling), we were stuck in horrible traffic. I could see a back route and took it. Car wasn't taking it - but I could see it and it was very helpful.

You see superchargers and visited chargers. Yes - Nissan has all chargers. But without plugshare ratings, all chargers isn't that helpful. I would never head to a charger I didn't know or didn't check on plugshare. On this trip, one of the chargers is always blocked (but plugshare wasn't helpful either).

I never used the Leaf app. My wife has had it for a year now and never used it. I used the S nav several times yesterday. So that is why I gave it the vote - even if the routing sucks. I just remembered - we used it twice yesterday to route around traffic.