We suggest starting with Navteq’s website, where the electronic mapmaker posts links to updates for more than 30 automotive brands.
So it pays to have the latest maps in your car, and the holidays are a good time to think about getting an update. Navteq says more than 230,000 points of interest may be added to their database in a year. Navigating to a point of interest, such as a restaurant? Be prepared to improvise. Unless you have updated your maps recently, you could be relying on really old maps. (Check out the Garmin Nuvi 58LMT, for example.)Īccording to navigation-system maker TomTom, 18 percent of roads in maps need updating every year.
For that much money, you could buy a very nice portable GPS unit with lifetime map and traffic updates. Plus, there can be an extra charge for installation. Instead, updates must be purchased at a cost of $129 to $299, either through the automaker, dealership, or online. Nor do they offer periodic one-click updates like leading navigation apps. Unlike Google Maps on your phone, most built-in systems don’t continually update themselves over the air with new roads, lanes, interchanges, and businesses, or even traffic laws, such as speed limits and left-turn restrictions. But keeping those maps up to date can be much more expensive and take more work than updating a portable unit or a smartphone. They work seamlessly with the entertainment system, respond to voice commands, and can readily access your smartphone’s contact list. (Some systems now cost as little as $500.) Compared with portable GPS, factory-installed systems are well-integrated into your car’s operation and controls. Built-in navigation systems have improved in recent years, and they now offer more features for less money.