2011 Edge Nav system

[rwolson]

Hi,

 

I'm looking for some info on the nav system used in the 2011 Edge. The Edge is at the top of my purchase list.

 

I know you can download routes created on MapQuest or Google, but can you store the downloads for future use?

 

When driving, how do you locate a destination? For instance, if you're driving towards a state park, but no street address exists for the park how do you locate it?

 

I'm just trying to compare the nav feature vs GPS devices.

 

Any good write-ups you've found on the web? So far, I've only found overview info including a Youtube video by Ford.

 

Thanks

[xphile]

Hi,

 

I'm looking for some info on the nav system used in the 2011 Edge. The Edge is at the top of my purchase list.

 

I know you can download routes created on MapQuest or Google, but can you store the downloads for future use?

 

When driving, how do you locate a destination? For instance, if you're driving towards a state park, but no street address exists for the park how do you locate it?

 

I'm just trying to compare the nav feature vs GPS devices.

 

Any good write-ups you've found on the web? So far, I've only found overview info including a Youtube video by Ford.

 

Thanks

 

I have had my 2011 LTD for a little over a week. I love how it drives and there are a ton features I have become enamored with (MFT, adaptive cruise, BLISS to name a couple). :happy feet:

 

On the Nav, I have not found that you can download routes as you note (if you can post a link/instructions, that would be great).

 

I have never had a car with Nav before, so I have no comparison, but here is what I know. With the features that I think are tied to Sirius, you can locate Points of Interest (POI) such as a park and such. The Nav systems has a great "3D-ish" view that actually shows major POI buildings (I was in downtown Denver and Coors Field (Rockies stadium) was a big 3D land mark on the map.

 

Great traffic features that have already helped me avoid traffic. Better than my Google maps app on my iphone. Great voice activation features.

 

Very nice feature with next direction able to show on the right dash mini-LCD next to speedometer.

 

It uses your contacts as you are setting destinations (via voice) if you ou have as contacts address uploaded, it will zero in on that saving you time on destination entry. I have yet figure out how to say "Destination, Mom's House" (assuming Mom's House is a contact) to set a destination and had to build destination manually via voice (driving) or key entry (if not moving).

 

So far the Nav helped me find some back street short cuts on routes I have been driving for years that saved me some time.

 

I did have the Nav lock up and cause a Windows error in the Myford Touch this weekend, but it rebooted itself and kept my destination in memory....once it rebooted it kept my route going. I will assume pending software patches should stabilize...but Sync is a Microsoft product so I am a little skeptical and await a Blue Screen of Death someday (kidding..mostly). Note: lock up did not impact car performance or handling, simply entertainment and nav were down for a few minutes (climate still works via console buttons).

[revOevoM]

I know you can download routes created on MapQuest or Google, but can you store the downloads for future use?

I don't think they can be saved.

 

I sent a Google map location and when I acessed Sync services, it asked me if I wanted to download that location. So far so good. Well, this one time, the download failed a couple times (only time it's done that) and then it was pretty much lost. Never asked me again. So I think you have the one shot. Other times, the download worked fine and once 'Set as Dest' is pressed, you're on your way.

 

I have not tried sending more than one location at a time. Not sure how that will work. Something I want to try.Anyone try this? How's it work?

[rwolson]

Thanks, guys.

[xphile]

I don't think they can be saved.

 

I sent a Google map location and when I acessed Sync services, it asked me if I wanted to download that location. So far so good. Well, this one time, the download failed a couple times (only time it's done that) and then it was pretty much lost. Never asked me again. So I think you have the one shot. Other times, the download worked fine and once 'Set as Dest' is pressed, you're on your way.

 

I have not tried sending more than one location at a time. Not sure how that will work. Something I want to try.Anyone try this? How's it work?

 

I now read up on how to do this and got it to work from google maps on my PC. However, if I try to use Google maps on my iphone (either the app or the browser/web), I cannot locate anywhere the "send" function to send it to Sync.

 

Anyone had any luck using their mobile phone to find a location, then send it to your car?

[DesertEagle]

I don't believe you can do it from either the iPhone or Android Google Maps App....yet. However, you can send a destination from an Android phone running Froyo (Android 2.2) since it supports flash in the internet browser. It isn't the best solution, but it works. On another Navigation note, does anyone know what the on screen orange dotted lines represent in the map? They appear pretty random at times and their location doesn't match a road, path, etc. I've learned that the black/white dashed lines are railroad tracks.

[tpm419419]

Does the 2011 Edge with nav have real time traffic? and is it automatic or do you have to input something. I tried searching for the answer but couldn't find it

 

Thanks

[DesertEagle]

Does the 2011 Edge with nav have real time traffic? and is it automatic or do you have to input something. I tried searching for the answer but couldn't find it

 

Thanks

 

Hi Tom,

 

The 2011 Edge comes with 6 months of Sirius Satellite radio in addition to Sirius Travel Link. Sirius Travel Link will display near real time traffic/construction/accident alerts on your navigation map. Sirius Travel Link also includes weather information, fuel prices, etc. From my experience in the last month, the traffic information has been fairly accurate. The dealership activated all of these services before I arrived. Let me know if you have any other questions. Hope that helps.

[mv-clear]

Hi Tom,

 

The 2011 Edge comes with 6 months of Sirius Satellite radio in addition to Sirius Travel Link. Sirius Travel Link will display near real time traffic/construction/accident alerts on your navigation map. Sirius Travel Link also includes weather information, fuel prices, etc. From my experience in the last month, the traffic information has been fairly accurate. The dealership activated all of these services before I arrived. Let me know if you have any other questions. Hope that helps.

 

I wish these options would come to Canada. We get none of the neat features..

[tpm419419]

Hi Tom,

 

The 2011 Edge comes with 6 months of Sirius Satellite radio in addition to Sirius Travel Link. Sirius Travel Link will display near real time traffic/construction/accident alerts on your navigation map. Sirius Travel Link also includes weather information, fuel prices, etc. From my experience in the last month, the traffic information has been fairly accurate. The dealership activated all of these services before I arrived. Let me know if you have any other questions. Hope that helps.

So it is only via Sirius then? I was hoping it would be part of the cars nav itself

Thank you

[choff1138]

So it is only via Sirius then? I was hoping it would be part of the cars nav itself

Thank you

 

 

I am not sure if the sync travel features do traffic - I haven't played with it much and Sirius doesn't work in Alaska.

 

Play around on www.syncmyride.com You might find info there.

Edited November 9, 2010 by choff1138

[DesertEagle]

So it is only via Sirius then? I was hoping it would be part of the cars nav itself

Thank you

 

Yes it is via Sirius however Ford Sync also has traffic information. Sync services are free for 3 years (I believe). The later however does not overlay on the navigation map and basically amounts to a customized radio traffic report for your trip. You access the sync services (one of which is traffic) via a linked cellphone in your car. You can then ask for a traffic report once the computerized operator answers. You will be given traffic information in your local area or along your route.

[tonyabionda]

Hi,

 

I'm looking for some info on the nav system used in the 2011 Edge. The Edge is at the top of my purchase list.

 

I know you can download routes created on MapQuest or Google, but can you store the downloads for future use?

 

When driving, how do you locate a destination? For instance, if you're driving towards a state park, but no street address exists for the park how do you locate it?

 

 

When you download the routes via Sync Services from Google Maps and you set it as a destination, they go into your address history. From there, I saved the address as a Favorite. Not sure it's the best way yet since I've had my Edge less than a week, but it worked fine. Sync Services will only download the last address sent.

 

My parents live on property that they developed from cattle land. When I put in their address, the Nav said it couldn't find the exact house number, but that it would use something like the mid-street address. I'm not sure of the exact wording. They had to change two street names a couple of years ago and it showed both with the new names.

 

Most state parks and other touristy vacation places will have an address you can use on their website. At least the ones I've visited. Places are very aware that people use GPS devices these days.

 

BTW, when I got to my parents house, my dad was very impressed with the navigation in my Edge. He's been using GPS devices for years. In boats, cars, and off road. For car navigation he's used everything from a laptop with a GPS dongle to portable automotive units.

 

Out of the three things he was most impressed with, two of them were things he said I didn't need; Navigation (said I should get a portable one) and adaptive cruise control (said regular was good enough). The other was the backup camera. Better than the one on his VERY expensive motorhome.

[DesertEagle]

When you download the routes via Sync Services from Google Maps and you set it as a destination, they go into your address history. From there, I saved the address as a Favorite. Not sure it's the best way yet since I've had my Edge less than a week, but it worked fine. Sync Services will only download the last address sent.

 

My parents live on property that they developed from cattle land. When I put in their address, the Nav said it couldn't find the exact house number, but that it would use something like the mid-street address. I'm not sure of the exact wording. They had to change two street names a couple of years ago and it showed both with the new names.

 

Most state parks and other touristy vacation places will have an address you can use on their website. At least the ones I've visited. Places are very aware that people use GPS devices these days.

 

BTW, when I got to my parents house, my dad was very impressed with the navigation in my Edge. He's been using GPS devices for years. In boats, cars, and off road. For car navigation he's used everything from a laptop with a GPS dongle to portable automotive units.

 

Out of the three things he was most impressed with, two of them were things he said I didn't need; Navigation (said I should get a portable one) and adaptive cruise control (said regular was good enough). The other was the backup camera. Better than the one on his VERY expensive motorhome.

 

You can also navigate using Points of Interest (POIs) which a state park would be one. In addition to the street address and POIs, you can also navigate to city centers and intersections.

[tpm419419]

Another question

Once you get traffic via Sirius will it than display the congested traffic on the screen?

[djaoki]

Hi Tom,

 

The 2011 Edge comes with 6 months of Sirius Satellite radio in addition to Sirius Travel Link. Sirius Travel Link will display near real time traffic/construction/accident alerts on your navigation map. Sirius Travel Link also includes weather information, fuel prices, etc. From my experience in the last month, the traffic information has been fairly accurate. The dealership activated all of these services before I arrived. Let me know if you have any other questions. Hope that helps.

 

There is one HUGE concern. Turn-by-turn directions via Sync Travel and Directions currently doesn't work for 2011 MyFord Touch equipped vehicles equipped without the Nav. If you have the Navigation, you are good to go. Ford is working on a patch right now, but keep in mind that for the next few weeks, this won't work.

[wilsons66604]

Hi Tom,

 

The 2011 Edge comes with 6 months of Sirius Satellite radio in addition to Sirius Travel Link. Sirius Travel Link will display near real time traffic/construction/accident alerts on your navigation map. Sirius Travel Link also includes weather information, fuel prices, etc. From my experience in the last month, the traffic information has been fairly accurate. The dealership activated all of these services before I arrived. Let me know if you have any other questions. Hope that helps.

I took a drive to Kansas City last night and I was surprised when the nav unit warned me about a traffic delay and offered to re-route me. I was skeptical because I had forgot about the Sirius Travel link feature (and was this info reliable). I chose to ignore the warning and stay on course. A few minutes later, I was stuck in a 45 minute stop, stop, & go traffic jam.

I'm a believer now! This is a very cool feature.

I may opt to keep the Sirius now.

Edited November 21, 2010 by wilsons66604

[JOEHIO]

My wife has this feature in her MKS, and loves it, saved her a number of times from being stuck in traffic, due to some sort of congestion or accident. It warns her with a "honk" like a car horn. The first time this happened, she thought that someone was honking their horn at her.

[wilsons66604]

My wife has this feature in her MKS, and loves it, saved her a number of times from being stuck in traffic, due to some sort of congestion or accident. It warns her with a "honk" like a car horn. The first time this happened, she thought that someone was honking their horn at her.

Ha! Too Funny. I was surprised too.

I've since gone onto Sirius' website and see where they have kind of a cafeteria plan for these features. Travel Link and/or Traffic in addition to the lame radio options. I may opt for the smallest radio option to get just the Travel & traffic features.

 

 

[DistortedEdge]

I now read up on how to do this and got it to work from google maps on my PC. However, if I try to use Google maps on my iphone (either the app or the browser/web), I cannot locate anywhere the "send" function to send it to Sync.

 

Anyone had any luck using their mobile phone to find a location, then send it to your car?

 

 

I don't believe you can do it from either the iPhone or Android Google Maps App....yet. However, you can send a destination from an Android phone running Froyo (Android 2.2) since it supports flash in the internet browser. It isn't the best solution, but it works. On another Navigation note, does anyone know what the on screen orange dotted lines represent in the map? They appear pretty random at times and their location doesn't match a road, path, etc. I've learned that the black/white dashed lines are railroad tracks.

 

 

You have to make sure your browser on the phone is in "classic" mode and not "mobile" mode. Be advised that even on wifi the classic mode of google maps is painfully slow, even on state of the art phone like my Samsung Galaxy S.

 

EDIT: to get to classic mode, scroll to the bottom of the web page where all the little fine print is and there's a side by side link for mobile and classic.

 

In classic mode, just scroll over to the right of the map and there's the send button, just like on your computer.

 

I doubt you need flash player support (which can be added to Android phones on 2.1 in some cases), because Google is a big supporter of HTML5. I'm not sure, though, and am not challenging or disputing anyone on this.

 

Also, please correct me if I am wrong, but my understanding (I think from one of the documents I've read) on the Services directions from Google maps is that the directions aren't sent to your system, only the end point, and the car's internal navigation does the route calculations. A subtle difference, but I've found in prior models of Edge with Sync that Sync's routes rarely match Google's routes for the same trip; if this is still true, any printed map you bring from Google with you may not show the route your car chooses to guide you on.

Edited November 22, 2010 by DistortedEdge

[tpm419419]

Using an iPhone4 I was able to send the directions. It was a bit of a hassle to get the info to show on phone however. Doable though