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Live traffic in command online - Is it worth it?
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I've had the live traffic data for a couple of weeks now and IMO it is absolutely worth the subscription cost. I've been doing a lot of running about and it has successfully routed me around a couple of big hold-ups. A few years ago I had a TomTom stand-alone unit with HD Traffic and with their data the navigation system has taken me a few routes that I recognise from before.
If I was being really picky, then I would say that the navigation system would benefit from a threshold on when to recalculate your route. ISTR this from my TomTom, i.e. don't bother re-routing unless it's going to save (say) 10 minutes from the journey. I was stuck near Heathrow on Thursday evening when there was a big accident on the M25 anti-clockwise. It took my off the M25 and changed the route almost every time new traffic data was loaded, once or twice in the opposite direction which was a bit dumb. It was a fast changing situation though with lots of traffic building up and it did a good job of finding the quickest route.
If I was being really picky, then I would say that the navigation system would benefit from a threshold on when to recalculate your route. ISTR this from my TomTom, i.e. don't bother re-routing unless it's going to save (say) 10 minutes from the journey. I was stuck near Heathrow on Thursday evening when there was a big accident on the M25 anti-clockwise. It took my off the M25 and changed the route almost every time new traffic data was loaded, once or twice in the opposite direction which was a bit dumb. It was a fast changing situation though with lots of traffic building up and it did a good job of finding the quickest route.
I can confirm that when the 3 year subscription expires, you don't get TMC either.
However, if you drive to europe, you will find that the European equivalent of TMC will work fine (without any prompting in my case)
So looks like TMC has been knobbled in the UK forcing you to buy the Live subscription. Very cynical in my view.
However, if you drive to europe, you will find that the European equivalent of TMC will work fine (without any prompting in my case)
So looks like TMC has been knobbled in the UK forcing you to buy the Live subscription. Very cynical in my view.
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Yes - there have been complaints that once TomTom Live Traffic is activated, TMC is gone for good.
It would have not been unreasonable to expect for COMAND to automatically default to TMC when the TomTom Live Traffic service is unavailable, e.g. when the TomTom service is down, or when driving in an area with no Vodafone GSM reception, or when the original subscription expires... but not so.
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From what I gathered... on early cars fitted with the KOM module and the built-in SimCard, the Internet connection available through the KOM module was used only for receiving of the TomTom Live Traffic data, but not for any other services later available through Mercedes Me Connect.
On these early cars, a Mercedes Me Adapter (plugged into the car's OBDII socket) is still required if wanting to connect to the car remotely, i.e. from a mobile phone app or through the Mercedes Me Portal website.
The downside of this arrangement, is that because the Mercedes Me Adapter gets its Internet connection through the driver's mobile phone, remote connection to the car is only possible when the driver and his/her phone are physically in or near the car.
Which is a shame, because on later cars, remote connection to the car is carried-out over the Internet connection provided by the KOM module with the built-in SimCard - and because the KOM module is permanently fitted to the car, this means that it is posdible to connect to the car remotely at any time, i.e. even when it is parked up (and as long as the car is in an area with Vodafone GSM reception).
Whether Mercedes are going to add more services in future to early cars currently fitted with the KOM module that only works with the TomTom Live Traffic service remains to be seen... but it seems that for now the only way to access these cars remotely is via the Mercedes Me Adapter.
I got an email the other day with some new T&Cs for Mercedes me. It makes reference to some new services becoming available on 1 Dec.
As an aside, when my local dealer fitted the new KOM module, they removed the Mercedes me adapter because they said there were some incompatibilities. I wasn't that sorry to lose it because I didn't find it all that useful, it often didn't record my journeys and I found it annoying when it constantly disconnected the Bluetooth connection from my mobile to hands-free in the car.
As an aside, when my local dealer fitted the new KOM module, they removed the Mercedes me adapter because they said there were some incompatibilities. I wasn't that sorry to lose it because I didn't find it all that useful, it often didn't record my journeys and I found it annoying when it constantly disconnected the Bluetooth connection from my mobile to hands-free in the car.
ext-chris.powel
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Hi milesr3. Would you mind saying which dealer fixed your KOM issues in the end? I believe I have similar issues and your dealer sounds like they know how this stuff is supposed to work.
Just as an addendum and if I haven’t misunderstood any of the above you don’t need to have the COMAND system to benefit from the TomTom Live Traffic. Took delivery of my new car on 6/9 which is fitted with the standard Garmin Map Pilot (albeit seems to be much upgraded from the map pilot on my 2015 car - better graphics etc ) I had no idea it was using TT traffic until I had a play with the settings since there is nothing on screen when navigating to tell you it’s active but it certainly works. Took me right around a massive delay on the M4 during a trip to Heathrow to catch a flight and probably saved me 2 hours of hold up based upon radio reports. It’s a vast improvement over my 2015 Garmin system
It was Mercedes Ipswich. I've been impressed with all the service & warranty work they've done and have no hesitation in recommending them.
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This is interesting. Looking at the Mercedes Benz website, from the wording below you could be forgiven for thinking that it only works with COMAND:
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Based on other users' posts, it seems that the KOM Module (that is required for the TomTom Live Traffic service) was fitted to MB cars as of July 2013, provided they were specified with COMAND. So there would be some 2013 cars out there that can receive this TomTom Live Traffic service.
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You could just use Waze
Speed camera alerts, live traffic, hazard reports, etc
Best of all it’s free!!!
That is what I do.
But I do feel a bit silly having retrofitted COMAND and I am using my mobile phone.......
supermonkeyman
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How would I know if I have live traffic updates?
Its an early 2013 E Class coupe and it warns me if theres traffic/an accident/closed roads etc but I haven't paid for a subscription.
Its an early 2013 E Class coupe and it warns me if theres traffic/an accident/closed roads etc but I haven't paid for a subscription.
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The TomTom Live Traffic subscription was free for the first 3 years, after that a fee is required.
It replaces the old TMC free service. So if you have an icon at the top righr corner of the COMAND Navigation screen saying TMC and showing reception level, then your COMAND is not using the TomTom service.
You can also go to TRAFFIC at the bottom of the Navigation screen, and if you have the TomTom subscription it will show there as a separare menu option.
Alternatively you can go to the Mercedes Me website (requires registration) and check what Mercedes Me services are available for your car.
wivenhoe
Active Member
I bought my current car from them and collect my new one there on Thursday. I live in Colchester but use Ipswich for new cars and servicing as they are well ahead in all respects over Colchester
PhilLinda
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Just been on to renew Live Traffic as my free 3 years is up. The price is now £89 for 2 years or £119 for 3 years. That's quite a price hike since this thread started a year ago!
D
Deleted member 126969
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I get the distinct impression that MB make most of their money from selling services, not selling cars.
