In late January/Early February the 2016 Mazda CX-5 started arriving at dealerships. Most people were super excited because Mazda listened to your complaints about the 2014-2015 Mazda CX-5 infotainment system and developed what is known as the Mazda "Connect" Platform. I think most would agree that the Mazda "Connect is a huge improvement over its predecessor. What most people don't know is that when the 2016 Mazda CX-5's first came out those live traffic options that are now greyed out actually worked and it actually provided you with live traffic updates. Mazda had a trial contract with NAVTEQ to provide live traffic updates via in the Navigation portion of Mazda's "Connect", but once that trial contract ended the live traffic updates no longer were available.
You are probably wondering why Mazda would not establish a long term contract with NAVTEQ to continue with the live traffic updates. Fair question, in fact what most people don't realize is that XM/SIRIUS has a contract with NAVTEQ to obtain live traffic data. The 2016 Ford Escape has the XM/SIRIUS app in Fords infotainment system but the consumer has to pay a monthly subscription to access the XM/SIRIUS Traffic app. You are probably wondering why Mazda wouldnt make every effort to agree to a contract with XM/SIRIUS to utilize their Traffic app to provide there consumers with live traffic updates. Well, this is where it gets tricky. First, let me start off by saying Mazda still has a contract with NAVTEQ to provide Mazda with Map Updates and they are under no legal obligation to provide live traffic updates in Mazdas Connect system as stated in the Navigation Manual. Second, can you imagine how much Mazda would have to pay Sirius to utilize their XM/SIRIUS traffic app? Mazda would also have to pay an outside vendor to develop the interface for the XM/Sirius Traffic app to work on the Mazda Connect Platform. It is also quite possible that there are contractual reasons why XM/Sirius cannot provide their Traffic App to Mazda.
So who is NAVTEQ? Well as it turns out Nokia owns NAVTEQ and guess what Nokia did in August 2015? On 3 August 2015 Nokia announced an agreement to sell HERE to a consortium of three German automotive companies, Audi AG, BMW Group and Daimler AG, at an enterprise value of 2.8 billion euros.[16] The consortium will jointly own Here, which will continue to operate as a separate business and serve other customers besides its owners. What the heck is HERE? Its a platform that works with your smart phone that gives you everything you want together mapping, location businesses, satellite navigation and other services. So what is the difference between Apple Car Play and HERE? Well Apple Car Play will be based on your phone and HERE is based on satellite.
So what is the future of the current Mazda Connect Platform? Well, what is scary is we have heard nothing from Mazda about their future plans for the Mazda Connect Platform, but according to Apples CarPlay website Mazda is planning on pushing out Apple CarPlay in future models. My guess is that Mazda will push out the current Mazda Connect platform again in their 2017 models and then in 2018 will come out with a new Infotainment system that will include Apple CarPlay.
What about the current Mazda Connect owners, any chance Mazda is able to establish an agreement with a vendor to provide live traffic updates? Sorry folks, the chances at this point are slim to none. Mazda has no incentive at this point to investment money in something that is not part of their future, especially since Apple CarPlay will eliminate these types of issues in the future. The good news is we all have a pretty good alternative in our pockets. Just remember even if Mazda did provide live traffic updates there is no guarantee they would be any good. You remember how bad Apple Maps used to be?
You are probably wondering why Mazda would not establish a long term contract with NAVTEQ to continue with the live traffic updates. Fair question, in fact what most people don't realize is that XM/SIRIUS has a contract with NAVTEQ to obtain live traffic data. The 2016 Ford Escape has the XM/SIRIUS app in Fords infotainment system but the consumer has to pay a monthly subscription to access the XM/SIRIUS Traffic app. You are probably wondering why Mazda wouldnt make every effort to agree to a contract with XM/SIRIUS to utilize their Traffic app to provide there consumers with live traffic updates. Well, this is where it gets tricky. First, let me start off by saying Mazda still has a contract with NAVTEQ to provide Mazda with Map Updates and they are under no legal obligation to provide live traffic updates in Mazdas Connect system as stated in the Navigation Manual. Second, can you imagine how much Mazda would have to pay Sirius to utilize their XM/SIRIUS traffic app? Mazda would also have to pay an outside vendor to develop the interface for the XM/Sirius Traffic app to work on the Mazda Connect Platform. It is also quite possible that there are contractual reasons why XM/Sirius cannot provide their Traffic App to Mazda.
So who is NAVTEQ? Well as it turns out Nokia owns NAVTEQ and guess what Nokia did in August 2015? On 3 August 2015 Nokia announced an agreement to sell HERE to a consortium of three German automotive companies, Audi AG, BMW Group and Daimler AG, at an enterprise value of 2.8 billion euros.[16] The consortium will jointly own Here, which will continue to operate as a separate business and serve other customers besides its owners. What the heck is HERE? Its a platform that works with your smart phone that gives you everything you want together mapping, location businesses, satellite navigation and other services. So what is the difference between Apple Car Play and HERE? Well Apple Car Play will be based on your phone and HERE is based on satellite.
So what is the future of the current Mazda Connect Platform? Well, what is scary is we have heard nothing from Mazda about their future plans for the Mazda Connect Platform, but according to Apples CarPlay website Mazda is planning on pushing out Apple CarPlay in future models. My guess is that Mazda will push out the current Mazda Connect platform again in their 2017 models and then in 2018 will come out with a new Infotainment system that will include Apple CarPlay.
What about the current Mazda Connect owners, any chance Mazda is able to establish an agreement with a vendor to provide live traffic updates? Sorry folks, the chances at this point are slim to none. Mazda has no incentive at this point to investment money in something that is not part of their future, especially since Apple CarPlay will eliminate these types of issues in the future. The good news is we all have a pretty good alternative in our pockets. Just remember even if Mazda did provide live traffic updates there is no guarantee they would be any good. You remember how bad Apple Maps used to be?