[wedgewa]

I've seen posts with several mileage "about" numbers in the 60s for when the SD card locks itself to the car's VIN. Mine has been in for 65+ miles. I wasn't expecting balloons to fly out of the AC vents but I kind of expected some sort of on-screen message about the process. Is there not one? As far as updates and copies, the required nav management toolbox program described on the Fiat Connect 7.0 website is not yet available.

 

[ameridan]

I think it just writes something to the SD card after 100 km (that's where the 62 miles comes from). I'll bet we can use the Mazda Toolbox, but since my Google finds indicate that the maps haven't been updated yet from our version, I'm just going to wait, although it would be good to make a backup file in case the card goes bad. I wouldn't want to use Mazda Toolbox and find out I should have waited for the Fiat Toolbox to come online.

 

[wedgewa]

I agree. Experimenting too early = too many unknowns and risks. Navteq does the map support (says the label). I have a dvd system of theirs in another car - for that one the Navteq updates were expensive ($300 each time) and slow to happen and completely discontinued 2 years after the model went out of production. I've seen one thing on the spider system that changed in the real world here more than 5 years ago. I really don't know how they keep track of changes that are happening all the time.

 

[Chipshot]

Does the Spider's nav system show real-time traffic? The system in my car does, and I have found it to be helpful.

 

[wedgewa]

The Fiat Connect 7.0 book goes into detail about live traffic but also cautions "if equipped." I haven't see it work on mine. And based on this Mazda info, we're likely not "equipped." Also a possible future "uh-oh" for future map updates beyond 3 years.

http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/show...System-in-2016-and-beyond-(Good-Read-Trust-me)

 

[TomM]

Does the Spider's nav system show real-time traffic? The system in my car does, and I have found it to be helpful.

From online FiatConnect info:

Traffic Information

The recommended route between two points may not always be the same because traffic can vary according to day of the week, time of day and season. Taking historical traffic data and patterns into account, when available, makes it possible for your system to calculate the most efficient route to any destination. You may choose to enable this option during normal conditions and disable it during holidays or other times when historical patterns may not apply.
​

So it looks like it does not use live traffic data.

 

[wedgewa]

When introduced by Mazda in 2015, this system had real time traffic. But in 2016, the feature was apparently disabled. Read this:
http://www.mazdas247.com/forum/show...System-in-2016-and-beyond-(Good-Read-Trust-me

Real time traffic (via FM radio's RDS data system) is in the Fiat Connect book but likely just copied and pasted from Mazda's original book.

 

[ameridan]

Real time traffic (via FM radio's RDS data system) is in the Fiat Connect book but likely just copied and pasted from Mazda's original book.

I've seen evidence of FM traffic data within minutes of turning the system on, but I'm not sure if it is presented in the maps like my TomTom does it, or if it just remains in the background for calculations. All we may see on the map is that yellow diamond icon.
I don't have XM, so it has to be coming via FM.

 

[wedgewa]

Lots of learning what to expect. My Garmin - like your TomTom - displays traffic on the map. And it recalculates for rerouting. I once got stuck in LA traffic so bad that the Garmin traffic data caused recalculations so quickly that none of them ever completed and the system became essentially useless from overload. I haven't yet seen the yellow symbol on my Spider screen but I'll watch for it.

 

[ameridan]

If you hit info, you'll see a current map with traffic data on it, but I haven't hit a busy road while navigating to a destination yet to see whether the data is on the regular map. You can set the delay time, so that you won't be overloaded with recalculations, and you can set the automatic rerouting to off. The Fiat seems to be set up nicer than what I expected reading the Miata forums. I think the traffic icon only shows up when driving to a destination, rather than map following your current path.

 

[wedgewa]

I'm just back from in-traffic driving with a route programmed. Throughout my system, all visible menu items related to real time traffic were grayed out and couldn't be selected. The traffic map I got from the nav info button was coming from "historic traffic." (It was way off today due to an accident.)

 

[Unknownsir]

i am wondering if some of the differences might be due to one unit being a nav ready unit and the other being a sirius unit?

 

[wedgewa]

There is plenty of clarity over in the Mazda part of the universe - including direct info from Mazda. Mazda Connect (which has been rebranded for us as Fiat Connect 7.0) was designed to include connected services including live traffic data. It was launched for the 2015 model year with those features working. Beginning with the 2016 model year, Mazda deleted/disabled those features including live traffic data. Mazda dropped those items from their contract with Navteq which is the provider of updates for the Connect system launched in 2015. They have a new system in development that will be integrated with Apple Carplay and its Android equivalent. It's expected to launch perhaps as early as the 2018 model year.

 

[Unknownsir]

my chrysler 200 radio gets the real time traffic updates from sirius and requires a subscription for this service. maybe these work similar? sorry hit post before finished thoughts.

 

[ameridan]

wedgewa - Are you in a rural area? Do you receive HD radio stations (this is one disadvantage to using the stubby antennas - you get poorer reception). Mazda (& our Fiat) stopped the XM radio traffic data but has reactivated traffic data via HD radio instead. That's what my TomTom uses. I see Seattle and Spokane areas for Washington.

 

[wedgewa]

The "Fiat Connect 7.0" system in Spiders is a Mazda system, not a Chrysler system. And not even the same as what's in other Fiats that are built by Fiat itself. Mazda has been very clear with their customers. Live traffic was discontinued from "Mazda Connect" as of December 2015 and has not been brought back in their brand cars to date. Also, 2015 Mazda owners have complained that after 2016 updates, they lost that feature which they had been using until that time.

 

[ameridan]

wedgewa - Here are coverage maps http://www.ttwnetwork.com/index.php/solutions/2013-04-02-15-39-16/coverageareas for RDS traffic and weather data. Fiat has activated this coverage in our CMUs as I said, but I don't know whether Mazda has.

 

[wedgewa]

It's very good to hear that Fiat has the live traffic activated (just like it says in the manual). I have to look at this in a different way now. I live right in the middle of some of the worst traffic in one of those listed metro areas and in my car (Classica with factory Tech Collection and nav card later self-installed), the live traffic function is not working.

 

[wedgewa]

Yes I get the full slate of local HD stations in the Seattle Metro market area. (and my Garmin gizmo gets traffic with no problems)