Satnav Sat Nav - French points of interest

[CivPilot]

Ok, I know we are all aware of the nearest fast food being in France (according to our Sat-Nav's anyway)

Well I found something even more alarming on mine......

"Nearest Pub"

yup, also in france!!!!!

Going to speak to technical again in a couple of days so will bring this to them. I'm also going to draft a recorded letter to Honda customer service (a nice letter) listing the niggles with the car but focusing on the Sat-Nav software.

(Another problem I have is not showing the home icon on the map at all times. Sometimes I switch the car on and my home icon is there showing, yet at other times it doesnt appear for days no matter what I do, no mention in the owners manual on this either)

Anyone else add any more French points of interest apart from "Fast food" & "pub"

[Ancient Nerd]

I couldn't agree more.

The trouble with having inadequate points of interest is that it renders the whole of that class of data totally irrelevant, afyter all would anyone here look for a restaurant of any size shape or form based on the information in the Satnav system.

I would suggest that the most effective technique is to identify each of the restaurants shown by the Satnav system and write to them explaining that the money they've paid to the supplier of the Satnav system is totally wasted, because the information is so useless. Then copy the letters to Honda.

Question: Why would I do that?
Answer: It's less time wasting than using the Restaurant POIs.
Action: I'm off to France for a pint

[richierich]

The POI's are hit and miss at best, the petrol stations seem okay, but I have passed several on the map that have not been a petrol station for the 6 years I have lived in the area, how out of date can you get.

I actually keep my Tom Tom receiver and iPAQ bracket in the glovebox, if I need a POI I tend to use that, it is more accurate, but does tend to defeat the point.

[Martin]

Sat nav from Swansea finds a pub 80 miles away!!!

There are two within a mile of the dealer.

Any way, if you need help finding a pub, should you be in charge of a car. LOL

[karlak]

Has anyone had a response from Honda UK about the poor POI data on the Sat Nav System?

Now it seems like they are finally getting a fix for the Hands free phone / voice recognition problem, perhaps this should be the next niggle fixed.

I believe that the only fix would be for a new disc with better data on it though.

For those that have the system; is it that the POI exists in the local area if you search 'manually' or is it just not there at all.

[richierich]

I have not thought to contact Honda regarding this, however it might be worth a go. I suppose I should really have a better play with the POI's.

Might have a play at lunchtime.

[CivPilot]

I've tried through voice and the menu, there are no UK points of interest for pub's or Fast food.

I havent been bothered to go through and check any of the other catagories as there are quite a few (restaraunts alone list all nationalities).

[Parky]

I have just checked the Pub category as well and there is one pub in the UK that come up The White Horse in Wales and that is it. All the rest on in mainland Europe which is a joke as 'Pub' is very much a UK word in the first place.

Ian

[karlak]

It would seem to me that Honda need to supply an up to date disc map to everybody. I know that when I get my EX, I will not be happy at this. A new disc would also include up to date maps with newer roads etc.

I know that this is something that Car manufacturers do not like doing as the costs are high. They need to pay software fees to the map providers.

[Ancient Nerd]

I have mentioned this to both my dealer and Honda CS. The message is quite clear, "Nothing to do with us".

Despite the fact that the DVD is clearly badged as Honda, they are taking no responsibility because the DVD is not created by Honda.

What I wonder would happen to the value of the Honda warranty if they did this with all components that were not manufactured by Honda. "Sorry sir, I know your engine misfires, but your engine management unit was manufactured by Bosch. Not our problem".

Frankly, I think that Honda should force its supplier to provide usable data and then provide replacement DVDs to its victims (sorry customers)

[karlak]

Originally Posted by Ancient Nerd

I have mentioned this to both my dealer and Honda CS. The message is quite clear, "Nothing to do with us".

Despite the fact that the DVD is clearly badged as Honda, they are taking no responsibility because the DVD is not created by Honda.

What I wonder would happen to the value of the Honda warranty if they did this with all components that were not manufactured by Honda. "Sorry sir, I know your engine misfires, but your engine management unit was manufactured by Bosch. Not our problem".

Frankly, I think that Honda should force its supplier to provide usable data and then provide replacement DVDs to its victims (sorry customers)

In which case then Honda should refund the price of the DVD/Sat Nav option, as it clearly does not fulfill all of the functionality of a Navigation system. The abiltiy to find local points of interest is actually quoted in the brochure.

What I think will happen is that new DVD's will appear at some point, but Honda will not replace units already sold. If you have a 'faulty' Nav disk, make sure you register it NOW with Honda UK and the supplying dealer, then when the new version appears in the future, you can state that you would like the working copy.

[CivPilot]

Ok... French points of interest update.

Just spoken to honda CS (nice bloke on the phone too) and they confirmed with the Technical department that currently there is no available fix as this is not an error in the code or the disk, it is down to licencing.

The bodies who hold the relevent licences for both English Pub's and fast food outlets (may be the same body, maybe different) currently have not agreed to let Honda use the licence in their software to display the POI's for these areas.

So in the short term there will be no correction for this issue and it will only ever be addressed (if the licence is approved) in the next disc update, maybe 1 or 2 years time.

Yup, you read that correctly. There is nothing wrong with our systems, they work fine, but there is just no information loaded for the UK in the areas we are looking at. And no amendment to the owners manual for us to find this information.

(FYI The general navigation data used by Honda for our system is supplied by Navtec)

I also asked about the officail Honda ipod MP3 solution hinted at on these boards and he know of nothing, but did admit that sometimes they wouldn't hear before dealers on option changes and such. so dont totally discount that rumour.

I asked about my dealer informing me of the Auto doorlocking notice on the alerts page (My dealer read me a note on their system that instructed them to DEACTIVATE auto doorlocking on any car found to have it active). The guy didnt even know about the feature being available to him but is going to look into it for me and try and get a deffinative answer on why a)Its no advertised in the UK & b)Why dealers are being told to turn it off.

Thoughly nice chap, very helpfull and told me he would check the board out (he drives a new civic himself) so Hello "A" and Welcome if your reading.

[karlak]

Hmmm !! Not good news on the SAT NAV.

Curiously though I checked on the NAVTEQ website and they do not acknowledge that they provide maps for Honda in Europe ?? It may just be a website issue though.


http://www.navteq.com/ProductFinder?...continentId=EU

[fishyuk]

Would be interesting to see the version numbers for the models shipped in the next couple of weeks and how they compare with the current ones (I assume pretty much every civic from now on will be an 07 model).

Is it easy to check the software version?

[CivPilot]

Originally Posted by fishyuk

Would be interesting to see the version numbers for the models shipped in the next couple of weeks and how they compare with the current ones (I assume pretty much every civic from now on will be an 07 model).

Is it easy to check the software version?

Unfortunately I wont matter which version software your car has... Honda do not have a licence at this time to provide the information so NO 2006 Civic will have UK pubs or Fast food outlets at this time.

And until the licence is resolved the pubs/fast food will not appear, and even then they will currently only appear in the next version of the disc, that is a purchase extra (like fook am I paying)

[Ancient Nerd]

Originally Posted by CivPilot

Unfortunately I wont matter which version software your car has... Honda do not have a licence at this time to provide the information so NO 2006 Civic will have UK pubs or Fast food outlets at this time.

And until the licence is resolved the pubs/fast food will not appear, and even then they will currently only appear in the next version of the disc, that is a purchase extra (like fook am I paying)

I think that they seem to be doing a Renault, by specifying something that they then do not provide (TMC - also a licensing issue). It generated a lot of angry Renault owners, in an argument that spanned three years, before enraging second owners in a subsequent round of ill will. See http://forum.parkers.co.uk/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=6431, and the 850 or so posts on the subject. It was only pushed into second place when their dCi diseasels started blowing turbos and engines through excessive service intervals, and inadequate oils. The count passed 1,000 - in the UK alone - some while ago.

[Pottsy]

Have Honda actually claimed that we should get pubs and fast food POIs in the UK?

The only error I regularly get that I believe will entitle me to an update is the constant inablity to work out which is the fastest route:

[CivPilot]

Originally Posted by Pottsy

Have Honda actually claimed that we should get pubs and fast food POIs in the UK?

That is a very good question Pottsy, and I think indirectly the answer is Yes, they have. Allow me to explain....

Honda have actively advertised the voice activated Satnav and the POI feature and "Pub" & "Fast food" are key catagories for anyone with Kids/family/need to eat on the move etc.
Lets also not forget the 5th gear article where Tom Ford asked the car to "Find nearest Pub" and he then got all excited when it worked. He tested the car in France, but made no mention it would not work here. Honda never issued a statement to tell Uk potential owners that this advertised feature would not work on thier cars. How many uk owners did the exact same thing when they got thier car?

I know that when I'm in an area I dont know and want to grab some lunch I dont look for a restaurant, I look for the nearest Pub or fast food joint (preferably pub).

So my opinion is that they should have been active in letting people know before they splashed the extra to get the Nav option. They must have known that the discs were shipping without certain POI's so should have made all dealers aware to tell potential customers.

My EX was considerably more than an ES and the main difference/most expensive extra is the Satnav/phone. Neither work as they should do/are claimed to, but I paid for both options, so technically I am out of pocket and dont have the car I was promised(and if I was the moaning type I could quite easily claim that my car is "not as described" or even that certain options are "not fit for purpose").

I think I will be having a long nice chat with my dealer about getting their assistance on this, they are a good bunch and I know they will do what they can. It doesnt look like anyone can "put it right" at the moment, but there is no reason at all why I should roll over and accept this new information as ok. It's simply not acceptable that I/we had to wait until now to be informed that the much advertised Satnav system doesnt actually work as advertised (on 5th gear, Top Gear, numerous car mags).

On the Satnav not knowing the fastest route for you, mines ok, but try driving up the A1M to Yorkshire, around a power station it gets very lost as the road has been moved and for 4 or 5 miles the Satnav acts like a blind lesbian in a fish factory. One end of my road has been closed to car access for about 12years but the system still thinks It can direct me down it (good job I dont need Navi to find my way home). But I think these errors (and your fastest route one) lie squarely with Navtec unfortunately.

Failure to notify me (and everyone else here) that the Satnav isnt fully licenced, well, that is honda's responsibility.

[elfa7]

Originally Posted by Pottsy

Have Honda actually claimed that we should get pubs and fast food POIs in the UK?

The only error I regularly get that I believe will entitle me to an update is the constant inablity to work out which is the fastest route:

satnaverror.jpg

Good job your aircraft aren't supplied with this "navigational aid".

[Pottsy]

Originally Posted by elfa7

Good job your aircraft aren't supplied with this "navigational aid".

Originally Posted by Airbusdriver.net

Airbus Inertial Guidance Systems
The aircraft knows where it is at all times. It knows this because it knows where it isn't. By subtracting where it is from where it isn't, or where it isn't from where it is (whichever is the greater), it obtains a difference, or deviation. The Inertial Reference System uses deviations to generate error signal commands which instruct the aircraft to move from a position where it is to a position where it isn't, arriving at a position where it wasn't, or now is. Consequently, the position where it is, is now the position where it wasn't; thus, it follows logically that the position where it was is the position where it isn't. In the event that the position where the aircraft now is, is not the position where it wasn't, the Inertial Reference System has acquired a variation. Variations are caused by external factors, the discussions of which are beyond the scope of this report.
A variation is the difference between where the aircraft is and where the aircraft wasn't. If the variation is considered to be a factor of significant magnitude, a correction may be applied by the use of the autopilot system. However, use of this correction requires that the aircraft now knows where it was because the variation has modified some of the information which the aircraft has, so it is sure where it isn't.

Nevertheless, the aircraft is sure where it isn't (within reason) and it knows where it was. It now subtracts where it should be from where it isn't, where it ought to be from where it wasn't (or vice versa) and integrates the difference with the product of where it shouldn't be and where it was; thus obtaining the difference between its deviation and its variation, which is variable constant called "error".