wondering what sort of extra intrusion hooking up new cell phone to Navigation in new pick-up?

The process is well laid out in owners manual, the question relates to how big a jump in spam/ads/etc is there, just hooking up the Ford in dash Navigation module, to replace the antique Garmin currently in use.

The phone is already paired to vehicle. I don't want my rig talking to other vehicles, nor do I want 'special offers' from roadside malls pursuing as I drive down the road.

Pros/cons/pitfalls appreciated. Maybe its already too late.

So.... you have a built in Nav system in the truck and you want to over ride that to use the Nav in your phone? Or send the trucks Nav system to your phone?
I am a tad confused...
As for me, when I want maps or navigation, I use Apple CarPlay, which most newer vehicles have installed. There is also compatibility in most newer vehicles for Android phones, too.
I have avoided OEM Nav systems as they tend to need updating that can only be done at the dealership, and it costs you.

Ford oem will pair wit⁸h my android if I load Apple app. Just wondering what the other aspects if the resulting
Nav software.

It wanted permission to access all my phone apps, such as camera, Contacts, music etc. Lots if stuff I don't have turned on.

Trying to step out of my Luddite past
.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: signewt,

Without phone in active connection, as I was told, the truck Navigation system doesn't work.
Perhaps that information in error?

This message has been edited. Last edited by: signewt,

^^^^^^^^^^^^

Ok yea, now I understand it. I have an in-dash Navigation in my Honda but never set it up to access apps from my phone other than the bluetooth setup for music on my iPhone. I can access my phone contacts for making calls using hands free if I wish.

I tether my iPhone 11 to my Honda Passport with a standard usb cable and run Waze, Spotify and other apps on my car. I don’t care for the factory gps.

I'm hoping to end up with large oem screen with good as Garmin
mapping.

Not specifically familiar with Ford's implementation, but there are generally 5 ways that a phone can work with your car.

1. Audio only over USB or Bluetooth. Phone treats the car as a big bluetooth speaker, pushing only the audio signal plus simple controls like "Play" and "Skip".

2. Phone control over USB or Bluetooth. Everything above, plus the car has the ability to access the phone's contacts in order to initiate phone calls from the phone book. The phone essentially treats the car as a big speakerphone or headset.

3. Apple Carplay over USB or Bluetooth. If you have an iPhone and your car has the Carplay feature, then the car's screen hands over control to the iPhone, and whatever is on your screen almost entirely sorted out by the iPhone. You can access things like maps, music, appointments, and your messages directly from the car's screen, and but your car only has incidental contact to your data as your phone handles the software bits.

4. Android Auto if you have an Android phone. Similar to the above.

5. The Car's own proprietary onboard suite of apps, relying on your phone's data connection for features. The app is being run on the car, the car handles all the data, and your phone incidentally gets whatever data the car is willing to share with the phone.

Almost all new cars have #1 and #2 today. Many new cars will have #3 AND #4 as an option (together with #1 and #2). SOME cars will have either #3 OR #4, but not both (due to software licensing).

Many cars also have #5. #5 is almost always entirely garbage, and results in both your phone and your car screen being barely useful during the journey. I always avoid #5.


*** MORE:

So, all the above is how your phone works WITH your car.

Many cars have navigation separate and apart from phone interactivity.

If a car has separate stand alone navigation, it should be relying on its own mapset inside its own CPU, and using its own GPS receiver on the roof.

Typically, these days, if a car has a stand alone navigation system, connecting to the phone using whatever provided app the manufacturer has also gives the navigation system access to internet-powered lookup (e.g., lookup a restaurant by name, live traffic, etc.) Even without a phone, stand alone navigation should still work. I've never seen a stand alone navigation system that didn't work unless connected to a phone.


So, this is how the implementation works out in my car:

My phone is connected to bluetooth for #1 and #2. Whenever I get into my car, my car makes the bluetooth connection, and I always have access to my music and phone calls. I can start the music and make phone calls from my phone or the car's screen.

My car ALSO has Android Auto/Apple Car Play over a wired connection. If I'm in the car for more than a few minutes, I will physically plug my phone in and launch Android Auto. I now have control over some of my phone's features directly from the car's screen. I can use Google Maps, search for music online, have the screen read my messages out loud, and have my appointments (and addresses) preloaded into the maps as I drive. When I unplug my phone, the phone hands the screen back to the car and the car's regular feature set.

Without the phone, I still have navigation. I have a stored mapset inside the car's memory that I have to update manually with a USB stick periodically. It has common points of interest pre-loaded, such as rest stops and gas stations. This works without the phone.

My car also has a bunch of random apps that come loaded on the car that work with a companion app on the phone. There's an app to find parking. There's a Waze app. There's an app to find restaurants. All those apps are universally garbage. The car's CPU is too slow to make any of that stuff useful while driving. I never use those apps. Many of those apps require an internet connection, either through the use of a separate sim card for the car, or piggybacking off of the car's internet. Both suck.

Thank you Aeteocles, very helpful. Will report back on progress tomorrow.

Just a note of interest I've mentioned about the bluetooth connection in the Honda. I found that after leaving the iPhone in my bedroom, after starting the car in the garage the bluetooth connection was made and it took the distance of about backing out and half way into the driveway before it lost the connection! The Honda tech connection with the iPhones has darn good connectivity. Even within those ranges all the features mentioned above would still function. Too bad it can't send a proximity alert to let you know that the phone is outside of that instead of driving off without the phone

discovery why install wasn't going well....

Called the Ford tech app help line & checked with my VIN....this unit was built withOUT the internal Nav hardware.

ETA: which seems odd, considering there is the largest in-dash screen they make. I was advised there is no way to install software/etc in this particular line of in-dash unit.

Solved that mystery.

Don't know whether my membership in the Geezer Luddite Society remains intact after this attempted elopement....

Maybe, maybe not. Toyota, in 2019, one could have a nav system that used your phone to run navigation THRU the onboard screen. OR you paid for a full-blown built-in nav system (Tomtom maps?).

does it have an Android Auto app on the in-dash? if so, you can use the android auto app on the phone to connect it with the nav in your phone.

I'd run by your dealer & have the salesteam show you. Mine (GMC) did a quick check to make sure I knew what I was doing (I drove the truck for a weekend before I bought it & had phone paired & turned every knob). The salesman acted like he knew how to treat a non-tech adept person as well.

When using your Android phone as the GPS for your vehicle, you don't get hit with ads while driving and I have never had any spam emails that could be traced to my GPS usage.

What I have noticed:
GMaps in driving mode will sometimes show an icon for a gas station or fast food place along your route, but it is unobtrusive.

Waze will show a banner ad on the top of the screen while you are stopped, but that disapears as soon as you start moving again.
Waze also has the icons for gas/fast food and they are a little bigger than the GMaps versions, but again, not obtrusive.

Also, in my Ford with Android Auto, when you plug your phone into the car and use the car's display, your phone will be restricted by the Android Auto app. I see this as a good thing, as it drives your interaction to the car and not the phone directly.

quote:

Originally posted by just1tym:
Just a note of interest I've mentioned about the bluetooth connection in the Honda. I found that after leaving the iPhone in my bedroom, after starting the car in the garage the bluetooth connection was made and it took the distance of about backing out and half way into the driveway before it lost the connection! The Honda tech connection with the iPhones has darn good connectivity. Even within those ranges all the features mentioned above would still function. Too bad it can't send a proximity alert to let you know that the phone is outside of that instead of driving off without the phone

This was actually a significant problem with Tesla.

Tesla has an available option to use your phone to unlock your car and prepare for driving. Theoretically, as you approached the Tesla, your phone's bluetooth would make connection and the Tesla's environmental controls would start cooling/heating the car, adjust the seats to your preference, and would present the door handles to you.

The problem was, however, when you parked inside your garage and the phone was close enough while inside the house that the car would always be "on". This would, of course, drain the battery.

This was many software iterations ago. I'm certain they've fixed this issue by now, but it was funny while it happened.

quote:

does it have an Android Auto app on the in-dash

No evidence of that so far. 2020 Ranger mid-level radio with large screen that has no Navigation options installed, according to the Ford help desk lady when checking the VIN.

Contacted my 'service scheduler' guy at dealer, who says there's a bunch of the sales people who know all about the soft ware. I'll be going in for service in the next 1000 miles, so asked him to get someone ready for solving my Navigation issues.

Have older decent Garmin with mostly good performance, but a small screen. Got new Androiod S21 to train with the Navigation solution. IT does not have Android Auto installed yet.

ETA: it's hard to find Android Auto Navigation without associated tunes of some kind. Not looking for tunes.

After considerable reading various sources, discovered my new S21 Android has all the software app I was looking to accumulate.

Managed to get it linked up this afternoon in suitable map mode, will take a drive tomorrow to check out more details.

quote:

I have avoided OEM Nav systems as they tend to need updating that can only be done at the dealership, and it costs you.

My Nissan Titan has an SD card that can be updated from any computer , laptop , etc. And yes , updates cost you .

I dealt with this kind of update in my wife's 2006 Odyssey with a new head unit (I chose the Kenwood Excelon) that has wireless CarPlay. The wireless is much better than the USB-linked version, it connects your phone automatically when you get in the car. Also added backup camera and dash cam, and steering wheel controls. Got our gear from Crutchfield.