Using Navigation: 1) Traffic is almost fully blocked by blue route; 2) Map clutter

[Runs Kwh]

Just took delivery of my S85 and have driven it back/forth to work in the OC (logging 100 miles a day).

A few questions on the navigation system:

1) If I use the navigation system to route me home, the blue route is so thick that it almost fully blocks out what the traffic conditions are (so I had to cancel my route, so that I could actually see how bad traffic was ahead of me and then restart it again). Is there any way to adjust preferences? (My guess is no, but I wanted to ask).

2) It is hard to focus/see the traffic and route options because the map is cluttered with satellite images, including all the hills/buildings/etc. Is it possible to have it more like a regular navigation system so you don't have all the visual clutter and you just have the roads (and plain backgrounds)?

3) The big BIG routing box. It appears in the upper left quadrant. However, if I'm traveling to the NW sector, the box blocks my view of that entire area. Is it possible to move the box or make it smaller? If not, any workaround... such as making it disappear?

4) I know that the traffic conditions aren't synced with the ETA. I do hope that is fixed in future version (soon). I agree with others that the navigation is somewhat dated. My 2010 Jetta Sportwagen has better navigation with the Sirius real-time updates. Why isn't that possible here?

5) Recommendation for alternative route options or avoid highways? My 2001 Pathfinder even allowed me to have the option of avoiding highways...

 

[steve841]

1. Suggest going to settings and selecting the 2x setting for your maps. Also, hit the + on your maps to make the image more close up.
2. Just click on the globe icon to go to old school look.
3. I think the goal of the nav system was to have the driver use the driver screen, not the center screen.
4. ????
5. Hoping for improvements in 6.0 whenever it finally arrives...

 

[dsm363]

There are supposed to be major changes for the next version so hopefully these will be addressed. The Nav has lagged behind other features for a long time.

 

[PhilBa]

People have been complaining about the blue nav route blotting out traffic info for at least a year now. I would not hold my breath on that getting fixed.

Far and away, the worst problem is the lack of real time traffic analysis and rerouting. The ETA issue is a side effect of this major deficiency. As I always note, google nav does this already. The Tesla should be at least as good at nav as my phone is. Tesla Nav is state of the art, for 1999.

 

[Runs Kwh]

Thanks for the feedback, it's appreciated!

 

[pete8314]

Elon mentioned 'Waze-like' enhancements coming to the maps, in terms of crowd-sourced data for (presumably) traffic flow. Obviously, Google, the maps provider for Tesla, acquired Waze last year, so it's only a matter of time before this all improves. For now, I also use Waze on practically every drive, it helps with the radar warnings, and detours for heavy traffic.

 

[Owner]

Okay, this is weird. For the last few weeks I no longer get the blue line on my screen. At times I find it annoying as i like to see it. it used to be there, now it is not.

 

[pete8314]

Okay, this is weird. For the last few weeks I no longer get the blue line on my screen. At times I find it annoying as i like to see it. it used to be there, now it is not.

Me either, I guess it started with 5.9, I just got 5.11, but it's not fixed the problem. Doesn't bother me a lot, but it's a clear bug.

 

[steve841]

Okay, this is weird. For the last few weeks I no longer get the blue line on my screen. At times I find it annoying as i like to see it. it used to be there, now it is not.

Reboot of MCU fixes it.

 

[Owner]

Yes it does! reboot and tested, back to normal.

Reboot of MCU fixes it.

 

[PhilBa]

Elon mentioned 'Waze-like' enhancements coming to the maps, in terms of crowd-sourced data for (presumably) traffic flow. Obviously, Google, the maps provider for Tesla, acquired Waze last year, so it's only a matter of time before this all improves. For now, I also use Waze on practically every drive, it helps with the radar warnings, and detours for heavy traffic.

Unfortunately, Waze sucks batteries down faster than my phone can recharge. Having it on the console would be a huge help. Breath shall not be held waiting for this, though.

Waze-like is a troublesome description. I hope that it is really Waze. Crowd-source traffic info needs a big crowd for it to be effective. If it's just a Tesla ghetto then there won't be enough users to make it worthwhile.

 

[ken830]

Crowd-source traffic info needs a big crowd for it to be effective. If it's just a Tesla ghetto then there won't be enough users to make it worthwhile.

The SF Peninsula will be pretty great though.

 

[PhilBa]

The SF Peninsula will be pretty great though.

I'm not at all sure about that. What is the density of Teslas there and how many of them will report accidents, stopped vehicles and police activity? I think the Tesla "crowd" is just a little too small even there.

 

[pete8314]

Unfortunately, Waze sucks batteries down faster than my phone can recharge. Having it on the console would be a huge help. Breath shall not be held waiting for this, though.

Waze-like is a troublesome description. I hope that it is really Waze. Crowd-source traffic info needs a big crowd for it to be effective. If it's just a Tesla ghetto then there won't be enough users to make it worthwhile.

Yeah, the GPS is power mad. If you charge using a 2.1amp charger, then there's no problem, it charges slower, but it does charge.

 

[simonog]

Yeah, the GPS is power mad. If you charge using a 2.1amp charger, then there's no problem, it charges slower, but it does charge.

Don't you find the phone gets really hot too? I worry how well it can cope

 

[pete8314]

Don't you find the phone gets really hot too? I worry how well it can cope

It does get warm, but I've never had an issue (it's an iPhone, so it'll shut itself down if it gets too hot, but it never has).

 

[David99]

Yes Tesla's navigation is years behind in terms of features. My old Tomtom did a better job avoiding traffic 5 years ago. Waze is the way to go when it comes to traffic, but even more so the warnings about objects on road or police. Just for that reason I want to keep using waze. In my old car I had a dedicated small Android tablet just to run waze.

 

[simonog]

Yes Tesla's navigation is years behind in terms of features. My old Tomtom did a better job avoiding traffic 5 years ago. Waze is the way to go when it comes to traffic, but even more so the warnings about objects on road or police. Just for that reason I want to keep using waze. In my old car I had a dedicated small Android tablet just to run waze.

I have the TomTom app installed on my iPhone. It is one of the paid for apps I have installed, and it has frequently paid its way. Just as good as on the dedicated unit with slightly better location sensitivity as it uses the GPS and cell tower navigation.

i suspect I'll be using it on iPhone 5 just as much when my Tesla arrives in 10 days as I was in my old car!

 

[ken830]

I'm not at all sure about that. What is the density of Teslas there and how many of them will report accidents, stopped vehicles and police activity? I think the Tesla "crowd" is just a little too small even there.

I think there won't be any way to "report" incidents like Waze. Maybe the car just reports traffic speeds based on vehicle speed and then Tesla aggregates the data and broadcasts to all cars.

There are a ton of Model S's around here. A few just on my block alone, and a few at my workplace, and pretty much see them everywhere I go, on every trip I take, no matter how short the drive. And during my commute on the Penninsula, I could count at least 20-30 each way, and I'm not even paying attention to them anymore.