When you click on links to various merchants on this site and make a purchase, this can result in this site earning a commission. Affiliate programs and affiliations include, but are not limited to, the eBay Partner Network.
Maybe I just don't understand technology all that well sometimes ( I don't) that well, but I don't get why the Nav/Map apps on my phone update OTA, but the Acura cannot.
Maybe I just don't understand technology all that well sometimes ( I don't) that well, but I don't get why the Nav/Map apps on my phone update OTA, but the Acura cannot.
Map updates for cars were commonly done by DVDs ordered through the mail. The DVD player is gone, so I think they have just substituted the flash drive with the download catcher file build program for the DVD in how they distribute updates. Another explanation is that the download seems to take a couple hours minimum with a good internet connection. Perhaps that is too long to run off the car battery or leave the engine running while the download takes place over the internet. The install time involving the car off the flash drive is about half that or less. I don't fault the distribution design so much as the sloppy execution with the VIN issues, lack of availability announcement, and lackluster documentation. As far as the phone OTA maps update processes go, I don't think the complete North America map set is ever downloaded into the phone so comparing the two processes is invalid.
Last edited by gtssenior; Dec 12, 2019 at 12:13 PM.
Maybe I just don't understand technology all that well sometimes ( I don't) that well, but I don't get why the Nav/Map apps on my phone update OTA, but the Acura cannot.
Map updates for cars were commonly done by DVDs ordered through the mail. The DVD player is gone, so I think they have just substituted the flash drive with the download catcher file build program for the DVD in how they distribute updates. Another explanation is that the download seems to take a couple hours minimum with a good internet connection. Perhaps that is too long to run off the car battery or leave the engine running while the download takes place over the internet. The install time involving the car off the flash drive is about half that or less. I don't fault the distribution design so much as the sloppy execution with the VIN issues, lack of availability announcement, and lackluster documentation. As far as the phone OTA maps update processes go, I don't think the complete North America map set is ever downloaded into the phone at one sitting so comparing the two processes is invalid.
So I am entering week 2 post VIN submission via the phone. I called back this week and "re-entered" my request for VIN addition. Honestly, I am not sure why this frustrates me so much, as I really never use the built-in navi. It must just be the total fluster-cuck that has been associated with Acura and this infotainment system. Nothing with regards to it has been a production-level rollout.
Map updates for cars were commonly done by DVDs ordered through the mail. The DVD player is gone, so I think they have just substituted the flash drive with the download catcher file build program for the DVD in how they distribute updates. Another explanation is that the download seems to take a couple hours minimum with a good internet connection. Perhaps that is too long to run off the car battery or leave the engine running while the download takes place over the internet. The install time involving the car off the flash drive is about half that or less. I don't fault the distribution design so much as the sloppy execution with the VIN issues, lack of availability announcement, and lackluster documentation. As far as the phone OTA maps update processes go, I don't think the complete North America map set is ever downloaded into the phone at one sitting so comparing the two processes is invalid.
I called HERE again this time mentioning when I talked to Acura they just went to the same HERE site. Didnt work. I mentioned Lauren to the guy who was helpful and tried doing several things. Then he put me on hold and came back and said his supervisor is aware of this and I will give him all the info to put it into the database. He said give it about 2 days. Just tried it 2 days later and it worked. I get the download map now. So it is a HERE issue. Dont let them say it is Acura because they are clueless.
I called HERE again this time mentioning when I talked to Acura they just went to the same HERE site. Didnt work. I mentioned Lauren to the guy who was helpful and tried doing several things. Then he put me on hold and came back and said his supervisor is aware of this and I will give him all the info to put it into the database. He said give it about 2 days. Just tried it 2 days later and it worked. I get the download map now. So it is a HERE issue. Dont let them say it is Acura because they are clueless.
You are lucky...I am waiting 2 WEEKS later and it still isn't in the database.
Same here. Over two weeks. Several emails back and forth (with HERE). I would be miles ahead (pun intended) at this point if they just mailed me an atlas...
That would be a good idea especially for those without 25 mbps+ internet connections and there are quite a few especially outside cities. It would have to be custom made with the VIN and then they could see how big of a problem they have with the VIN database when they are trying to load the flash drives.
Update done on my new USB harness. Took just over an hour. Still the new neighborhood we bought a house in last year is not on the map even after going to HERE’s website and adding in all the roads one year ago. Way to go HERE.
Two and a half weeks and still nothing. I've spoken with Acura and HERE at least two times each, sent them my map version and VIN and a picture of my VIN. The latest from HERE three days ago is that Jen(?) was going to forward the problem to her supervisor (she acknowledged that HERE knows there is a problem) and that I should hopefully be able to access the map update in a few days. It has been a two days and still nothing. Oh well. Keep waiting, I guess.
For those that are still waiting, one thing you can do is to download the map using other VIN to save time in the future. When Acura/HERE add your VIN to the database, the MapDownloader app will only touch the security token file and skip downloading the map data.
The Louisiana Purchase was added. Which is probably not far off. But seriously, it appears Acuras practice is don't ask/don't tell on the map updates. If you happen to stumble across it on Acura Navigation Navi, good for you. If they happen to have gotten your VIN to HERE, the masters of the map, even better for you, since that's required. If you can get them to do something about that missing VIN, then you have real clout.Other than that, many of assume it's just a map update. The updates are supposed to happen quarterly (written exactly that way on the Acura Navigation Navi website) but the car has been out sine June/July of 2018 and this appears to be the first one. I think we all assumed 'quarterly' meant quarterly/annually. maybe it means quarterly/something else. Acura....
The Louisiana Purchase was added. Which is probably not far off. But seriously, it appears Acuras practice is don't ask/don't tell on the map updates. If you happen to stumble across it on Acura Navigation Navi, good for you. If they happen to have gotten your VIN to HERE, the masters of the map, even better for you, since that's required. If you can get them to do something about that missing VIN, then you have real clout.Other than that, many of assume it's just a map update. The updates are supposed to happen quarterly (written exactly that way on the Acura Navigation Navi website) but the car has been out sine June/July of 2018 and this appears to be the first one. I think we all assumed 'quarterly' meant quarterly/annually. maybe it means quarterly/something else. Acura....
For me quarterly is not that important, I would be happy if updates were done twice a year, but executed smoothly, announced when an update is available, have the VINs loaded, have procedures better documented, and have a published help desk number to call that is prepared to answer questions and accept trouble tickets.
My VIN finally worked today in the system, now downloading (last checked two days ago and it still didn't recognize VIN, April 2019 build). Hope you have similar luck with your VIN
Will try accessory mode and see how it goes.
Even if they issued updates quarterly, I doubt I would bother doing it every 3 months. Unless they streamline the process or issue partial updates that only take a few minutes.
Garmin issues updates two or three times a year at most and they take about an hour to download and load on the device in one shot. If this is the norm, I probably won't bother more than once a year unless there's a major upgrade. The roads don't move and not many restaurants open every year.
I was able to download to usb drive with no problem. Inserted usb into car and after a hour got message that update was completed but when I check the date after restarting the car it still has the 2018 date. Anyone else have this happen?
So I FINALLY got the download after they apparently added my VIN, but the adventure continues.
Nothing happened in Accessory mode with the drive inserted, so I turned it to ON and it gave the notice that it was updating maps. But then I ran an errand and shut off the car. No notice when I restarted. Got home, got bored since it had been a couple hours since I started the update, and pulled the USB drive out. Bad move. Lights, sirens, really pissed off car.
After a few more power cycles and USB drive reinsertions I got it calmed down, and it's back to installing the maps in ON with the headlights and HVAC fan off. I'm keeping a respectful distance and occasionally peeking at the "activity light" on the drive ( which I previously failed to notice because it's facing the passenger seat ).
[edit] Update complete and map date is 2019.07.08 ( after restarting the car ).
Has anyone been able to download the update to their hard drive rather than the USB?
I have not, even thought I did try. Maybe mount a separate partition off hard drive? I was a lucky one and had no problems downloading on a16g stick and installing in car, so I did not investigate any further. It is a pretty crappy update process, agreed.
Do a full FAT 32 format. Not a quick one. Make sure the format is FAT 32.
(I think that was named after a Notra Dame right tackle whose number was 32, and who was, errrr, large. Like ‘win one for the Gipper’. But I could be wrong about the nomenclature roots.)
Do a full FAT 32 format. Not a quick one. Make sure the format is FAT 32.
(I think that was named after a Notra Dame right tackle whose number was 32, and who was, errrr, large. Like ‘win one for the Gipper’. But I could be wrong about the nomenclature roots.)
I know you're kidding but I'll clear up the confusion for those who don't.
And although it's typical to format external drives larger than 32 GB as exFAT or another modern format, 32 bits is sufficient to address 2.2TB - 16TB, depending on the sector size. So that's not it either. Just a weird coincidence.
32 bit computer architecture is an independent issue ( RAM addressing, data path, processor(s) ).
And a 32 bit OS might run on a 64 bit architecture, but not the other way around.
Glad we got that cleared up.
( Personally, I think they're just messing with us... damn engineers. )
"Installation of the HERE Map Downloader requires computer administrator privileges. The HERE Map Downloader may access the files and folders in your computer as well as removable media (such as USB sticks) to search for already downloaded content and to download the content to a local storage." [boldface mine]
Does this mean we're giving this company permission to search through all the data on our computers and use it for whatever purpose they like? It could be completely innocent, and it could be a massive invasion of privacy.
I don't understand why a special program is needed to download a bunch of files from a website onto a designated drive. That's done a billion times a day directly by Windows or MacOS.
That is what my Garmin used to do. You had to run the Garmin downloader, and it took about the same, slow time.
My download speed is 100 Mbps, so 15 GB should come down in a couple of minutes (150,000 Mb should come down in around 2 1/2 minutes) but it took almost an hour.
)
