Why is OEM GPS so far ahead of PC software?

**greenwire** · 06-03-2005, 09:53 AM

Why is it that OEM GPS systems that come preinstalled in vehicles are so much easier to use than the software we can get for PCs? It doesn´t seem like there´s any ideal substitute for a well-made preinstalled GPS system so far, simply because of the lack of good software

Surely the software OEM´s use is developed and prototyped and simulated on a PC before it´s installed on whatever embedded processers they use, so why can´t we buy it? It doesn´t make any sense to me!

**Chita79** · 06-03-2005, 10:34 AM

ive been wondering the same thing for a long time now

**Zebelkhan** · 06-03-2005, 10:45 AM

Because they get to charge $2,000 plus for the systems....

**Chita79** · 06-03-2005, 10:57 AM

yuuuuup, so true ....

**aoLhaTer** · 06-03-2005, 11:12 AM

Because the market for software GPS is not even close to how big the market for OEM GPS is

**hd54321** · 06-03-2005, 11:15 AM

I thought about this for A WHILE over the weekend. I whad just returned from a long road trip and was less than pleased with my setup.

I was in a car caravan with friends and other people were showing me their factory nav systems - made me want to toss my carputer out the window.

I was trying to think why I have put 6 months of effort into building my carpc when I could have purchased a Pioneer Avic-D1 that has an anti-glare coating, that has auto-dimming and that is BUILT for a car. Anyways, the list of pros & cons is too long to list.

A few of my thoughts were...

* OEM's have the ability to integrate options into their units that software companies just can't do. I.E. they have the ability to integrate the system with the car and obtain speed pulse signals through the car's BUS.
* OEM's typically build the radio and sometimes the A/C functions around the navi. This is the best part. They can integrate buttons and mini joysticks on the system to make it easier to navigate.

For these things, I can't fault a software company. Software companies don't have the resources to develop their own hardware gps solution that will take a speed pulse signal. They don't have the ability to include code in their software to enable buttons or joysticks - because they don't know how the software will be used and have no need to develop that.

What I DO fault software companies for is the piece of crap software they release. Possibly the BEST solution available right now (for carputer use) is the CoPilot Laptop software. That is the closest I have seen to the OEM systems and it is still miles behind the stuff you find in new Lexus's. The problem with CoPilot is that it does not embed and does not run properly on 800x480.

Next up is IGuidance. While IGuidance has a simple interface - it is TOO simple. The PC version is NOTHING like an OEM system. There are no big on-screen buttons for rerouting, route information, etc. Everything is in different windows and it sucks.

In short, there is a lot of catching up to do. We need XM traffic integration, we need solutions that will compete with OEM systems. The PC GPS market right now is squarely aimed at Pocket PC & Palm users - once the dynamic changes, we will see better software.

**egeekial** · 06-03-2005, 11:53 AM

For Google Summer of Code, someone should code a kickass open-source multi-platform GPS navigation project.

Edit: Oh yeah.... based on Google Maps.

**Chita79** · 06-03-2005, 12:46 PM

Originally Posted by hd54321

I thought about this for A WHILE over the weekend. I whad just returned from a long road trip and was less than pleased with my setup.

I was in a car caravan with friends and other people were showing me their factory nav systems - made me want to toss my carputer out the window.

I was trying to think why I have put 6 months of effort into building my carpc when I could have purchased a Pioneer Avic-D1 that has an anti-glare coating, that has auto-dimming and that is BUILT for a car. Anyways, the list of pros & cons is too long to list.

A few of my thoughts were...

* OEM's have the ability to integrate options into their units that software companies just can't do. I.E. they have the ability to integrate the system with the car and obtain speed pulse signals through the car's BUS.
* OEM's typically build the radio and sometimes the A/C functions around the navi. This is the best part. They can integrate buttons and mini joysticks on the system to make it easier to navigate.

For these things, I can't fault a software company. Software companies don't have the resources to develop their own hardware gps solution that will take a speed pulse signal. They don't have the ability to include code in their software to enable buttons or joysticks - because they don't know how the software will be used and have no need to develop that.

What I DO fault software companies for is the piece of crap software they release. Possibly the BEST solution available right now (for carputer use) is the CoPilot Laptop software. That is the closest I have seen to the OEM systems and it is still miles behind the stuff you find in new Lexus's. The problem with CoPilot is that it does not embed and does not run properly on 800x480.

Next up is IGuidance. While IGuidance has a simple interface - it is TOO simple. The PC version is NOTHING like an OEM system. There are no big on-screen buttons for rerouting, route information, etc. Everything is in different windows and it sucks.

In short, there is a lot of catching up to do. We need XM traffic integration, we need solutions that will compete with OEM systems. The PC GPS market right now is squarely aimed at Pocket PC & Palm users - once the dynamic changes, we will see better software.

i truly couldnt have said it better myself .... my friend showed me his toyota navi system, and carpc solutions are CRAP compared to it. It was SOOO easy to find a nearby POI or find a destination with his system, and when i look at my Destinator carpc software, i wanna just trash it

i really ope some mainstream company makes a quality carpc gps software system that can compete with these OEM nav system.

**MaleBuffy** · 06-03-2005, 12:52 PM

The reason there is no PC GPS software that can compete with an OEM Car GPS system is that, PC software isnt designed for INCAR TOUCHSCREEN CAR PCs. They are usually designed for Laptops with a 14-15inch NON TS Monitor. I thinks that is the main reason!