Travel Technology - Mercedes First Car With Google/Yahoo Maps "Search & Send" (Video)

Too bad my folks' Mercedes has the horrid first-generation COMMAND in-car GPS system...it blows.

http://www.switched.com/2007/09/05/mercedes-ties-google-and-yahoo-maps-to-in-car-navigation/

A GPS unit for your car is nothing new, but how about a GPS unit that connects to Google or Yahoo! Maps? Mercedes has just announced the launch of Search and Send, a system that allows you to send driving directions from a PC to your car using either Google Maps or Yahoo! Maps depending on personal preference. Friends and family can even be granted access to the system, allowing them to send you coordinates when you're already out on the road. Once in your Benzo, you download the directions directly to the in-car navigation system where you can either chart a route immediately or save the destination for a later trip.

The Search and Send service is free with a subscription to Mercedes Tele Aid, a roadside assistance system similar to GM's OnStar. The system is free for the first year with the purchase of select Mercedes cars. Initially it will only be available on the '07 S-Class, '07 CL-Class and '08 C-Class vehicles when outfitted with the Multimedia and Navigation package.

Though the Mercedes program is the first like it in the U.S., BMW offers German drivers a very similar experience with its Drive Assist program. Drive Assist, however, is limited only to business addresses, where Search and Send can plot any location.


Gizmodo video
http://gizmodo.com/gadgets/cars/mercedes-first-car-with-googleyahoo-maps-search--send-video-296322.php

I've already got this in my car, though it isn't integrated sadly.

I can send anything off my PC to the nav system and it appears there right away, without having to go through a call to Tele-Aid.

It's the future of nav, and I'm sure many more systems will be offering it in a few years.

Seems like an attempt to increase subscriptions to tele-aid.

If it wasn't such a slow process to enter the address directly in the car you would not need this in the first place.

A brighter idea for my use would be to enable the car to receive the destination information by bluetooth (or wifi) in my garage. Send a contact from your cell phone or home computer to set the destination.

I find it hard for Mercedes to claim to be a technology leader by sending data on a dial-up basis to a car in 2007.

i think thats a waste. i can enter it in my navi systems pretty easily


c

I think BMW actually had this first, but only in Germany. BMW also now recently added the ability to search Google Local while in the car from the Nav, also only in Germany.

I tried the new Nav system in the new C Class (http://www.themercedescdrive.com/) recently and it is so much better than the current Comand system I almost peed my pants. Sadly it's still behind other systems like Infiniti's and even handheld units like the Garmin Nuvi.

whats the nav like in the new lexus hybrid?

So, we have this on the new c-class. (lovely car!) #1 1K GF hasn't tried it yet.

But, the current DASH navigation unit offers this functionality as well, I think

:-)

I've had the same thing for several years using the ALK copilot gps system on my treo or bluetooth enabled ipaq units. People can actually send questions, information and of course one can send address information directly to the phone/gps

And of course, onstar has been able to do this for years.

Connected units are the future, and will allow proximity based information and even more precise traffic data - possibly

You'll have to reboot your car once a day to recover from memory leaks.

Oh, anti-virus will soon be available as well. I prefer Nod64 over McAfee.

;)

You'll have to reboot your car once a day to recover from memory leaks.

I turn my engine off when refueling. The car can run longer than my bladder.

what system is this? manufacturer provided or 3rd party?

I've already got this in my car, though it isn't integrated sadly.


Is your nav an OEM system or something aftermarket?