MapQuest Send To Car Button Gone?

[ls973800]

I tried sending an address to my car today from MapQuest using my HP computer which I have done in the past. However, the MapQuest map which I tried the directions and sending from did not have the SEND button anywhere in the top right hand side where it usually is. I tried a search and didn't find anything.

 

The only difference is this is a new computer and I don't believe this is the first time I've tried sending an address. I don't know if maybe it's a setting on my computer not allowing the version of MapQuest with the SEND button, or if it is a MapQuest issue.

 

Any help?

[Tacyon]

Google used to have this and they took it out as well. Something about licensing IIRC.

Edited January 30, 2014 by Tacyon

[drpepper]

type in 1600 Pennsylvania ave & then click on send...seems to be there.... Same issue though that IE11,10 not compatible & Ford has a ticket open for 4 months+ with no resolve....

[ls973800]

Switching from Firefox to IE 10, the MapQuest map does have the SEND button on the top right hand side where I have always found it when using Firefox on my old computer.

 

Using Firefox I put in the directions and after clicking get directions, to the right of where it says "Directions" there are options to print and an arrow to click which will allow sending to the car. These are on the left side of the page, right above the specific directions given for the trip.

 

Must be some type of setting of Firefox and the new computer I am using.

 

drpepper, like I said, I have the SEND button on my version of IE 10 which came on the computer. On Firefox, I found it "hidden" and it doesn't say SEND, just an arrow to click first.

[drpepper]

is 973800 in Firefox- I also see on left as you do- but I do see it on right - in the header just above the map like in IE...like u said maybe settings gives different presentations

[ls973800]

Revisiting this post because of a new problem. I had finally solved the problem of not being able to send the Mapquest directions to the car. I am running Adblock plus and that was somehow preventing the SEND button to work. Once I disabled it on the page, everything worked as it should for the last six months or so.

 

Now once again the SEND button doesn't send to Sync. All it does it "spin". I have made sure Adblock is still turned off for that page. My wife has a GM and it does send to OnStar for her navigation with no problem.

 

I tried a reboot using the reboot application which I have on a USB drive. This supposedly reboots but doesn't lose any favorites or settings. Still can not send to Sync.

 

Any ideas what changed in the last week or so? Everything was working well around the beginning of the month.

[akirby]

This has nothing to do with the car. You're just sending it to a Ford server somewhere that then forwards it to the car. The problem is either in the browser or on the Ford servers. It could also be in Mapquest. Have you tried other browsers?

[ls973800]

Tried IE and Firefox, doesn't work from either. Mapquest appears to work because like I said, it sent the same directions to the OnStar Navigation but won't for the SYNC.

 

Rules out most except something on Ford servers or the car electronics? There was one time a few months ago I had tried downloading directions using the Ford services while in the car. They would not download. Speaking to customer care at that time, I had to reboot in order to get it to work. I had used the flashdrive USB reboot app that I tried using this time.

 

I have a message posted over on the SYNC specific board also. Perhaps I'll try the hard reboot unless I hear something different.

[akirby]

It's possible that it's waiting while sync contacts the vehicle, but what if the vehicle isn't running? Seems more likely to be a server issue.

 

Has anyone else tried it to make sure it's not just a problem with your account? Once you know that I'd call Ford. In the meantime a hard reboot won't hurt.

[ls973800]

I have always sent the directions from Mapquest to the car when it hasn't been running. That is how it is set up because the directions actually go to the Ford Sync Service. When I start the car, I have to contact Services using the voice option or dialing them from the phone. Once the call connects, I am told Mapquest has sent directions, do I wish to download them?

 

If I say yes, they are downloaded to the navigation. Sounds like maybe Services aren't receiving the request from Mapquest. I'll try the master reboot and also contact Services to see if they are having a problem. No problem with my account as I have used Services for other actions.

 

Has anyone done the Mapquest download in the last day or two like akirby asked? Any problems?

[akirby]

That confirms that it goes to a server first and that's the part that's not working so I don't think it's the car.

 

Should be easy for support to test it on their end.

[ls973800]

Yes, after typing the way it works, I realized it does get sent to a server first. I will contact them tomorrow if they have support in place, otherwise it will be Monday.

 

The GM we just got also works the same way, directions uploaded to OnStar, contact them, and the directions downloaded to the car.

[drpepper]

Sat night I sent a destination successfully from map quest to sync services & it downloaded into nav. IE11 Win 7 pc to MLT 3.6

[Tacyon]

and any one asked why the hell we can't use the WiFi receiver built into the car to send direct from computer (& WiFi AP in the house) to the Edge sitting outside the window waiting for me ???

 

rhetorical question .. (because someone is not making money)

[akirby]

Because that would be incredibly complicated especially when you're dealing with third party websites and browsers. Given how simple it is to enter the address directly it's just not worth the effort.

 

If they're doing other things with the new version with the car as a tcp/ip client then that would make it easier to add.

[Tacyon]

akirby, thats the beautiful thing about networking (TCP/IP) its a "standard" and as such there is no guess work. You adhere to the standards and build off that. The team that put the labels in MFT area dealing with WiFi connectivity were not networking engineers. They knew/know nothing about how to setup a network or connections. If they do know or had consulted with some entity on what they could or should do with networking, then they either ignored that advise or simply got lost along the way and didn't finish the job.

 

WiFi or wireless is just another method to move data from one location to another. It takes the place of a network cable. Because its wireless (radio waves) you'd want to secure it (the access point in my house) with a fairly strong password or pass phrase (my personal choice) however with the last update to MFT, they [Ford] borked that. You can no longer enter a real password for the WiFi connection.

 

Now ignore that..and lets just say, its connected to my AP in my house, now what? IE, Chrome, Firefox are the three main browsers and I'll give you this .. here is where it gets fuzzy. While the browsers are different, the under laying HTML, XML, Java, etc, standards are not. Each browser interacts with lets say HTML slightly different. But there is a basic set of instructions that they all adhere to and usually one or two browsers out of the bunch will work. This is why most websites optimise for IE because IE is on every freaking windows computer on the face of the planet. (I exaggerated I know .. but you get the point.) Ford didn't even try. They simple put what amounted to labels in there and left it half baked. It was like they suddenly saw a squirrel and went off to something else !

 

ok .. so lets think outside the box here ... screw browsers & HTML, etc, think applications ! Write a open source app so others could translate to linux. That could be installed on a windows platform. Take the hand off of mapping data from browser "X" and pass it directly to the my ford edge with a app installed on hit while its sitting in my driveway via WiFi. Again, this would require a car company to have computer and software engineers on staff. But given the fact that they're wanting to at least be a technology leader and have hi-tech, computerized hardware in their cars that gets interfaced by the driver (users), its not outside the realm of sanity.

 

But they've given us none of this ... the closest you're going to get to a real end-user experience, and a friendly(?) interface is to pay $$ for the Ford Sync Service and be reliant on their servers. I feel they missed a opportunity. GM and several others have figured it out.

 

[steps down off soap box]

Edited October 4, 2014 by Tacyon

[akirby]

GM and several others have figured out how to have their nav connect to your local LAN and send a destination from your home computer directly to the vehicle? I think not.

 

Ford planned a web browser and other features 3 years ago. They contracted the development to the wrong company and totally f'ed it up to the point it barely works now. Adding those other features on top of the current mess just isn't feasible. I have no doubt they've learned their lesson and the new version due out any time now will fix a lot of what was wrong initially including those missing features.

 

The point I was making (and I've been a software developer/IT architect for almost 30 years) is that it's never as simple as some people think. It's not the network connection - that's the easy part. But you still have to write an app that runs in the Nav software which isn't there now. And you have all the nuances of wi-fi connections to test - with and without security, different types of security, b/g/n/etc. Then you have security - how do you ensure the connection is valid and authorized?

 

On the front end you need a map of some kind so you either have to build your own google maps or you have to partner with the ones who already do it. None of that is simple or cheap and it requires a ton of testing. Even if you wrote your own app or plug-in it would still have to be tested on all browsers/operating systems.

 

All of that effort and what does it buy you? It takes the place of you typing in an address or simply saying "Destination Address 1234 main st anywhere state". When you think about it that way it hardly seems worth the effort.

 

There are much better uses for wi-fi such as automatically syncing your music between your home and your car. Or contacts. Etc.

[drpepper]

"the new version due out any time now"

 

Akirby/Waldo...so you are saying do not bother with 3.7 since a new one is due soon?

[akirby]

I don't know when the new software is due out for the existing vehicles. I thought it was debuting this fall in a new vehicle but that's just my guess. Waldo might have better info.

[drpepper]

OK Thanks...just confusing when we see some have 3.7 option to download & many others do not!!! There is no clear direction on if it is even a timed roll out so say 2014's this week, 2013 next week, 2012 the following, & then 2011's ( the 1st with MFT/MLT) Seems silly not to have that info posted so you know when to "check" for the new software update especially when web site still says "new" even though it is last august 21013 version 3.6.

And then to have the "its coming to older vehicles" post for the fully revamped version & then not have better direction- Would seem silly to install & then do it again unless we are months away...

[ls973800]

Just wanted to update that the SEND button is now actually sending the address to my car (or Services where it actually goes first). One of the Ford monitors over on the SYNC board had checked into it and said there was an issue which she reported. She never did answer if she had to report it to Ford or to Mapquest.

[Tacyon]

caution ... wall-o-text.

 

sry for the delayed rebuttal .. RL had me other wise occupied. Something about end of quarter backups for an entire datacenter keeping me busy.

 

GM and several others have figured out how to have their nav connect to your local LAN and send a destination from your home computer directly to the vehicle? I think not

 

 

The "it" I was referring to was more of a generalization of the parts of MFT that ARE present but are half baked and not well thought out versus what the others have to offer. Now granted I don't drive all the others and can only base "my opinion" off of reviews, recalls, extended warranties to cover design flaws, etc. that I’ve read about.

 

“… Adding those other features on top of the current mess just isn't feasible. “

 

 

Not suggesting to ADD anything. Simply that what is there was ill-conceived and half-baked features leading to what we have now. I think we’re making the same point here.

 

The point I was making (and I've been a software developer/IT architect for almost 30 years) is that it's never as simple as some people think. It's not the network connection - that's the easy part. But you still have to write an app that runs in the Nav software which isn't there now. And you have all the nuances of Wi-Fi connections to test - with and without security, different types of security, b/g/n/etc. Then you have security - how do you ensure the connection is valid and authorized?

 

 

Ok .. you've made a few contradictory statements that I have to disagree …mmm.... with parts of. It IS as simple as what people say it is when standards are followed. By which I mean networking standards. I deal with systems manufactured by different companies that barely know of each other's existence. Yet their hardware works together. It does so because both parties adhered to the established industry standards. “b/g/n/etc.” ARE the standards and WPA, WPA2 etc. are the standards that “..ensure the connection is valid and authorized?” and to that I agree with you that ”..the network connection - that's the easy part”

 

On the front end you need a map of some kind so you either have to build your own Google maps or you have to partner with the ones who already do it. None of that is simple or cheap and it requires a ton of testing. Even if you wrote your own app or plug-in it would still have to be tested on all browsers/operating systems.

 

 

They already have a mapping system, NavTeq. They have access to the back end. All I’m suggesting is a call that would allow noaa cords data to be sent to the map software to be a destination.

 

All of that effort and what does it buy you? It takes the place of you typing in an address or simply saying "Destination Address 1234 main st anywhere state". When you think about it that way it hardly seems worth the effort.

 

 

.. when was the last time you had a “conversation” with your Edge?

 

Edge: “Say a command”

Me: Navigation

Edge: “say destination address or POI”

Me: destination street address

Edge: “Say street address including city and state”

Me: 123 Any street, some town USA. (btw, I speak Helvetica 12 point so no accent errors)

Edge: “Did you say 1731 Buttercup Blvd, Allen Town, Pennsylvania?”

Me: wft ????

Edge: I did not understand that!

(rinse and repeat with similar and sometimes different results-usually not what I'm asking for)

Me: **censored** reverts to Garmin on windshield and has address mapped in <20 seconds.

 

Not to mention that Ford Nav systems do NOT understand fire number addresses weather voice or manually entered. Ex: 41W174 Main St.

 

Versus … Me: while hunting for a restaurant with wife on internet in house, I look up address on Google maps . Presses “send to car” button that sends directly to Edge connected to my home Wi-Fi. Which is NOT dependent on someone else’s “server or service” that can be charged for just because they can or go "off line" … but freely over my Wi-Fi because it’s there.

 

There are much better uses for Wi-Fi such as automatically syncing your music between your home and your car. Or contacts. Etc

 

Agreed ... perhaps … if I didn't already have ~8000 tracks stored on a 64gb USB thumb drive or that my smart phone was given permission to sync contacts already. A function they appeared to at least have gotten right. Don’t get me wrong .. I love my Edge and think that it’s one of the more technically advanced vehicles on the road. But, not only is this “edge” (HA!) eroding as other manufactures are advancing, but the areas or functions that are partially here or could easily be so, were half baked and not followed thru to fruition. The devil is in the details and they missed a few.

 

https://gigaom.com/2013/09/10/ford-continues-its-bring-your-own-navigation-push-with-sync-support-for-tomtom/.

 

http://www.chevrolet.com/culture/article/4g-lte.html

 

http://media.gm.com/media/us/en/gm/news.detail.html/content/Pages/news/us/en/2013/Jun/0605-remote-link-app.html

http://www.computerworld.com/article/2499152/emerging-technology/car-tech--the-connected-car-arrives.html <- this one is interesting in that it mentions some of the very “didn’t come to fruition” that I’m talking about

Edited October 19, 2014 by Tacyon

[akirby]

Again - it's not hard to hack some code together to send map coordinates to the nav system or to set up the wi-fi connection. But setting up your own Mapquest website is a huge undertaking if you want it to work flawlessly even with access to map data.

 

The complexity comes with customers using multiple browsers, apps, versions, etc. Even supporting multiple wi-fi protocols isn't technically difficult but it requires a LOT of testing and re-testing and lots of error handling.

 

It just so happens that I used the voice control for nav on Thursday to find a MRI appointment.

 

"Navigation"

"Destination Street Address"

"1234 whatever street roswell"

 

Done. Hit set as Destination and was done. It doesn't always work that well but for me it works most of the time. I've found that you need to talk softly and quickly rather than loud and slow - works much better.

 

I'm not saying Ford couldn't have done better - there is loads of room for improvement. Just explaining why they do some things and not others.

[Tacyon]

well then lets agree to disagree. I feel the main reason they haven't done the send maps cords direct to the FMT via WiFi is that they'd lose control of something they could otherwise charge money for and complicate in the process.

 

You and are on the same page for "...Ford could have done better - there is loads of room for improvement" but then again .. this holds true for them all. Boy that sounded like "I want it all and I want it now". Alright Veronica.

Edited October 25, 2014 by Tacyon