wagonsrock

I was blown away to find out that live traffic information for the built in navigation system is provided for three years only, and that there is NO MECHANISM TO EXTEND BEYOND 3 YEARS. I'm fully aware that I can use CarPlay to display google maps or apple maps, but I prefer the better integration that the built in navigation system offers.

My 2018 E400 had an MSRP of $80k and has only 21k miles, but live traffic can't be provided for even the 4 year warranty period of the vehicle? Am I alone, or are there a growing number of pissed of MB owners wondering how the US division of the company makes asinine decisions like this. The joke about the best or nothing rings in my ears. If anyone knows of a class action law suit for this please share here.

Elvisfan0108

I’m no lawyer but, it would seem to me that unless there is some legal document that says they will continue traffic forever, I don’t see a case.

superswiss

The EULA you agreed to when you created your Mercedes me account contains language that any of the services can be terminated at any time. Especially if required technology is no longer commercially available. You don't have a case. Online services come and go. Last I've heard is that they are looking into possible switching providers. The 2019+ models with Mercedes me connect use HERE Traffic. Daimler together with BMW and Audi own HERE. The mBrace service 2018 and older models use is essentially end of life at this point. It happens. My last car was still using 3G to connect to the Internet, and all the carriers are turning down their 3G networks effectively cutting of any device that doesn't support LTE. Not what's happening here, but just another example to show technology doesn't live forever.

2012 merc amg

Ya, it happens in all of the tech world. Like having a laptop that can no longer be updated with the newest windows.

Egonvdv

i extended it after 3 years... (France)

Elvisfan0108

[QUOTE=2012 merc amg;8302227]Ya, it happens in all of the tech world. Like having a laptop that can no longer be updated with the newest windows.[/QUOTE
not the same. The computer is still usable. Eventually it may not be able to run the latest software but, it still works. I am still using an iPhone 6 for playing around. It’s not my main phone but it could be. Here we are talking about something that was included in the 80k cost. After 3 years it just stops working. It’s terrible on MB’s part. Personally, I’d go the the local media outlet. I’m sure MB would like news reports stating that the traffic broke on 3 year old cars and they won’t fix it.

ua549

It is exactly the same. If your cell phone carrier moved from LTE to 5G your iPhone6 would no longer work. Your iPhone6 published end-of-life date was yesterday, 26 March 2021. You will not be able to update to iOS 14.5.

I had to buy a new cell phone when my carrier stopped using analog technology. Then again if I wanted to use LTE.

LILBENZ230

The factory system is better integrated than Waze?

Can't imagine.

Elvisfan0108

The current updates already stopped. That doesn’t make it unusable. It’s on 12.5.1. I don’t use it for cell service. For surfing the web and other things.
I’m not going to argue on semantics. There is a difference between eventually being obsolete and suddenly stopping working. After 3 years. When phones went digital, you had warnings. MB owners had no warning. Also, you could buy a phone for a couple hundred dollars. MB owners had no real option from MB.

Elvisfan0108

Don’t know about MB yet. But my BMW system is very quick to notify and reroute. You can get more info from Google or Apple Maps, but if you are alone, you can’t look at that stuff anyway.

ua549

Not exactly, Back then cellular phones cost more than $1,000 and there was no warning of service disruptions. (My first cellphone in a satchel cost more than $5,000.) One day my phone worked and the next day the carrier dropped support for it and it didn't work. Your MB navigation still works, you can still see the maps and your location. I surmise that in the near future you won't be able to see live traffic, but the maps and location will still be there. GPS will still work as it is independent from any "internet" services.

EDIT my first mobile phone was a Motorola DynaTac. It cost $4,000 plus taxes. I was spending $500 per month for a very few calls. IIRC the cost was about $5 per call plus charges for basic service. At that time Florida had an 18% communications and sales tax.

superswiss

+1...Also, via CarPlay and Android Auto one has alternatives for navigation. Can always use Google Maps or Waze. I think some people have a misconception about what they paid for. The live traffic situation certainly sucks, but there was never a guarantee beyond the 3 years that were included in the purchase of the car. As stated above, the navigation still works, the COMAND system as a whole still works, CarPlay and AA still work. Unfortunately the built-in navigation for now does not get live traffic, but it still routes and works otherwise. My life traffic is only working intermittently at the moment for some reason with still over a year to go on the original subscription. I have an open ticket with Mercedes me connect support, but I need to follow up and see what's going on. So for now I rely on Google Maps over CarPlay. It's not as nicely integrated, but it works fine.

Frank Rizzo

How bad can it be? Mine works so sporadically, maybe I would be better off forcing me to plug my phone in instead?
The Nav and Telematics in my 2018 E43 has been the most disappointing part of the car by far. My live traffic has not worked about 25% of the time I have owned the car and most frustratingly the remote start has a hit-or-miss operational function of about 50%. It really pisses me off.
MB service is saying everything functions fine. Pfft. As others have said, 2018 was a bad year for telematics - full screen dash, yes - but missed the new MBux system that gets good/great reviews ... so we got stuck with the stepchild system.

The latest thing is that when I get in the car, the screen is blank and does not start. I have to physically press the power button to make it come on.

As my Lease comes to an end this year, I'd love to get a C63 next, but every time the remote start times out, the live traffic does not come on, or I have to yank the lever a dozen time to get the car to go into reverse gear, I am reminded I would be nuts to go thru this again...especially at this price.