scriber

I was reading on the E class board that their navigation only directs them to a range of address numbers and not to the door. Is this true of the S class navigation also?

Kar don

I can't answer your question but I don't see why it matters. My Lexus lets me put in the exact number, and when it says "you have arrived" its not the house number I put in. I would be fine with the range.

whoover

There's only enough room on a DVD for so many addresses and POIs. Even the hard-drive system on the W221 is loaded from a DVD. All automotive systems use ranges. They use smaller ranges in crowded areas and larger ranges in more rural area.

There are two ways to deal with a range. The typical Japanese car system interpolates a probable fix from the position of the address you enter within the range that it really knows. If the address you're interested in in the middle of the range, it will call a halfway point in the range your destination. That may or may not be correct. If the house numbers are evenly space, it will be pretty close. If it's not, it can be pretty far off. In other words, they accept an exact street address and lie about knowing where it is.

The Mercedes system is more honest. It tells you the address range it knows and tells you when you arrive there. It doesn't try to invent precision from an assumption that address are linearly placed. It may appear that a Lexus or third-party GPS is more precise, but it's an illusion.

trumpet1

No wonder those people seemed hacked out that I showed up for dinner. I was at the wrong house! Well at least they bought a few shoes from me

Nickerz

Yep, my '05 E55 only allows for address ranges. However, my '05 C55 did physical address and my wife's ML350 nav does physical address. I've had instances where the range in my E55 was off by a block or so (looking for a Walgreens) which can be a pain! Yet, my wife's ML nav is VERY accurate. This is especially helpful when you're in a big city (San Francisco).

I really feel the navigation systems that MB uses is a far cry to what's available in other cars - although I haven't seen the new S-class' nav.

I read however, that MB is partnering with Apple (exclusively) to come up with a whole new nav unit for their 2009 models which will be availalbe in mid to late 2008! It's about time! I love the way Apple tends to be simple and yet very intuitive! That would be cool if they add touch-screen and internet! Like Apple says, "not some watered down version of the internet...the REAL internet!" LOL!

blessed

That's not true or my navi pulls of some hell of an optical illusion. There has been plenty of times that my navi has put me right in front of the place that I was looking for. It will also tell me what side of the street the address is on and its portable I love it. I love the s class but the range thing can be frustrating. If you are on a four lane major street and the place you are looking for is in a strip mall on the other side of the street that could be annoying.

blessed

I would say the it has put me in front of the place that I was looking for about 90% of the time. I use it in the Detroit area mostly, but I have also used it in Chicago.

mike10980

Well I guess we can agree that the navigation system used by Mercedes in the W211 (or atleast in my 211...) is quite far behind from many of those in these Japanese cars. My Acura TL's navigation is so much more user-friendly than the 211's navigation is. The TL's navi has touch screen, easy-to-use POI's, and also can take a precise address, rather than a range. Moreover, the touch screen makes it so much easier to enter the address. I am pretty sure that there is no "estimation" in the location of the address. I say this, because the addresses in my neighborhood are not contigous (i.e. house number 27 is actually located next to house number 14...I have no idea why the builder did this...), and the TL's navigation has no problem with locating the address.

-Mike

Kar don

used my Lexus nav again, and it said "you have arrived" right infront of the house I was looking for!

Nickerz

Yeah, I've heard a lot of good things about the Acura's Nav system!

Btw, here is a link I got off this forum about Mercedes and Apple partnering for MB's new nav. It should arrive in mid to late 2008 models...

http://www.leftlanenews.com/report-a...-mercedes.html

trumpet1

This is slightly off topic, but it's funny how one of the best nav systems in the automotive industry is in Honda's Acura products yet at the same time Honda has put the worst navigation system in the Honda Goldwing motorcycle. That thing is a disaster. Won't even show town names, constantly states that the satellite reception is poor, it tells you to turn left yet the only thing to the left is a big open cow pasture.

I am very happy with the MB nav system. I actually like the rotary knob operation better than touch screen. My wife's Lexus has touch screen and we both like the MB method better than Lexus. The Lexus screen is clouded with too many icons of operation that we can't decipher.

sack5000

Any updates on a new MB navi as noted above? The existing navi has to be one of the worst features, yet MB keeps pushing them out.

wmhjr

Go look at the '08 C class. That's the unit. It is far better than what's in the E. However, still no touch screen. It does look "apple like", in that it's a glossy screen and surround which reminds you of an iPod.