Gave Lexus some tough love concerning their NAV..

[mikeavelli]

I just finished the Lexus Advisory Board survey which was centered around Navigation and I think its a hot point for many of us here. I still can't believe in 2016 how ancient Lexus Navigation feels in regards to their graphics, interface, GRAPHICS and overall use.

Had to give some tough love today ..Lexus needs to really step it up with their NAV abilities. The new Audi MMI system surrounding the speedometer makes Lexus look like they have outsourced their system to a 16 bit Atari.

I find myself using WAZE a ton now due to my wife's recommendation and I love it (I use Colonel Sanders voice lol), then Google Maps/Apple Maps. I rarely, if ever use my factory NAV, its just old to look at and too troubling to use.

 

[GSCT]

Glad you did! Lexus isn't alone with clunky interfaces, poor graphics and an inexcusable policy of charging for updates to maps. If I could get the options that came with navigation without the navigation included, I would have done it in an instant. For an otherwise first rate car company, Lexus sucks at navigation.

 

[krew]

I just finished the Lexus Advisory Board survey which was centered around Navigation and I think its a hot point for many of us here. I still can't believe in 2016 how ancient Lexus Navigation feels in regards to their graphics, interface, GRAPHICS and overall use.

I would rate the Lexus Navigation as the single biggest problem for the brand, even more than the lack of new drivetrains or the delay with certain next-generation models. I'm hoping this updated coming with the LC moves the needle at least a little bit, though I still believe compatibility with Airplay and Android Auto is the only true solution.

 

[RAL]

I don't know why they surveyed the board because they should already know how they are leaving Lexus owners wanting.

 

[mikeavelli]

I don't know why they surveyed the board because they should already know how they are leaving Lexus owners wanting.

Agreed it's pretty obvious

 

[Ian Schmidt]

The graphics don't bother me so much (the new screens in the 2015 models where it actually renders a highway exit in first-person 3D with the signs are especially nice), and the routing is actually pretty good in my experience, although I'd like it to be more creative about avoiding live traffic jams that come in over the XM feed. I just want it to be a lot faster and more responsive.

Mike's screenshot is basically 16-color SNES Mode 7 from 1992; if that's state of the art, the art is in trouble.

 

[mikeavelli]

Heck even a Porsche connects better with bluetooth and has better features like picking off where the playlist left off instead of starting over. It's really kind of shocking considering its a Japanese car, why don't they just team with Sony or somebody to do their NAV.

 

[Ian Schmidt]

I've never had problems with Bluetooth, and I listen to hours of podcasts streamed from my iPhone every week, as well as gab on the phone a fair amount. My dealer tech said it can be funkier with Android phones, but my iPhone's been trouble-free. I've even done goofy stunts like pull up YouTube on the phone to play a song that just popped into my head and that plays fine over BT as well. I've also never had trouble with it picking up the playlist exactly where I stopped, over either BT or USB.

I will agree that car manufacturers don't generally know what they're doing in this area (with the possible exception of Tesla), which is why they all need to admit defeat, stop trying to do infotainment, and just supply a nice big screen with CarPlay and Android Auto and get out of the way. It'd be cheaper, and people would stop reporting this stuff as "defects".

 

[meth.ix]

Android Auto/Apple CarPlay is MANDATORY!!! Google's Material Design User Interface is the most eye pleasing thing to see on a screen. Their design physics is crazy detailed. That's the main reason I love using the newer versions of Android. It looks so simple without risking not enough info. The Google Maps app UI is much less of an eyesore:

Oh yeah, and it uses Waze as shown in image 2 above.
Here're some examples of Material Design:

I mean, if you clicked the link above, you'll see how the perfect design is brought right down to a detailed science. For example it'll show you how much of a shadow should be below and icon
And here is Android Auto:

 

[CIF]

I would rate the Lexus Navigation as the single biggest problem for the brand, even more than the lack of new drivetrains or the delay with certain next-generation models. I'm hoping this updated coming with the LC moves the needle at least a little bit, though I still believe compatibility with Airplay and Android Auto is the only true solution.

Even more of a problem than no new LS, and questionable interiors on a couple of vehicles? I think that with ever-changing technology, Lexus nav systems will never be cutting-edge, as they need to be reliable. To be cutting-edge with nav would mean higher unreliability, which goes against one of the fundamental strengths of Lexus.

Personally, the majority of luxury owners that I know or have met rarely use their vehicle built-in nav, even if it's one of the cutting edge german systems. The majority seem to simply talk to their phones to get directions, or many mount their phones somewhere in the car and use voice features with the phone's nav for directions.

 

[meth.ix]

Even more of a problem than no new LS, and questionable interiors on a couple of vehicles? I think that with ever-changing technology, Lexus nav systems will never be cutting-edge, as they need to be reliable. To be cutting-edge with nav would mean higher unreliability, which goes against one of the fundamental strengths of Lexus.

Personally, the majority of luxury owners that I know or have met rarely use their vehicle built-in nav, even if it's one of the cutting edge german systems. The majority seem to simply talk to their phones to get directions, or many mount their phones somewhere in the car and use voice features with the phone's nav for directions.

The whole point of Android Auto and Apple CarPlay is to replace using your phones for navigation and music. I don't see how good navigation means lower reliability for Lexus, however.