Live traffic updates

[XRS]

I've had issues with the satnav on our S205 Sport Premium, resulting in the unit being replaced a couple of times under warranty. All seems to be settled now, except that we no longer receive live traffic updates. My dealer generally just scratches his head and offers no solution, but I'm convinced that they have to re-register the new satnav unit with "the system" so that the updates will come.

Does anyone actually know how these things work please? I've contacted MB via the Mercedes Me site but only ever receive just email acknowledgements.

 

[Jocky]

Live Traffic is a subscription service so it will need to be linked to your vehicle. Can you check that this is activated for your vehicle via Mercedes Me/ Connect Me?

 

[smillion]

I had issues a couple of times and had to return to the dealer - they hook it up and do their magic although to be honest I couldn't tell you what exactly they do. I am assuming its the one with the TomTom subscription? Under options ion the Traffic screen you can check whether the subscription is up to date. MB Oxford seem to be aware of issues from time to time.

Marc

 

[XRS]

That's where the problem lies, I suspect. There are no subscriptions shown, and even though I pointed this out to the dealer they didn't seem to be aware of the relevance. I had a look at my son's similar car and he has quite a few subscriptions showing.
It appears that the cars these days are so complicated even the dealers don't have a clue.

 

[Jocky]

That's where the problem lies, I suspect. There are no subscriptions shown, and even though I pointed this out to the dealer they didn't seem to be aware of the relevance. I had a look at my son's similar car and he has quite a few subscriptions showing.
It appears that the cars these days are so complicated even the dealers don't have a clue.

As I said, can you check your status in Mercedes Me connect? (online not from the car)

Select the "Manage Mercedes Me connect" tile and you'll see a "Manage Services" tile

Open this, select Navigation and check the status of Live Traffic Information. You would expect to see a green tick and active subscription. If not, then there is no active subscription associated with the vehicle. You may be able to activate yourself from this screen too.

One other thing to check - do you have a little icon on your display at the top that looks like a car with radio beams coming out if it? This shows the car is connected to the Connect Me service.

 

[smillion]

I didn't know Mercedes Me had live traffic until your post - my comand has TomTom and I take it its different as my Mercedes Me live traffic is currently switched off.

Are they different TomTom v Mercedes Me or are they the same system?

Marc

 

[XRS]

As I said, can you check your status in Mercedes Me connect? (online not from the car)

Select the "Manage Mercedes Me connect" tile and you'll see a "Manage Services" tile

Open this, select Navigation and check the status of Live Traffic Information. You would expect to see a green tick and active subscription. If not, then there is no active subscription associated with the vehicle. You may be able to activate yourself from this screen too.

One other thing to check - do you have a little icon on your display at the top that looks like a car with radio beams coming out if it? This shows the car is connected to the Connect Me service.

I've checked on Mercedes Me but there is no mention of live traffic information anywhere.
I can't say I've noticed the icon you describe but I'll check it next time I use the car.

Confusing isn't it?

 

[Jocky]

I didn't know Mercedes Me had live traffic until your post - my comand has TomTom and I take it its different as my Mercedes Me live traffic is currently switched off.

Are they different TomTom v Mercedes Me or are they the same system?

Marc

The LiveTraffic is a traffic service provided by TomTom so it's the same thing. If you have a connected vehicle (the little car transmitter icon is a clue) then you can activate/deactivate via Mercedes Me. Your car will be on the edge of when the CLS first came 'connected' so if it isn't then you'll still have the service but will need to renew with a retailer when the subscription ends.

 

[Jocky]

I've checked on Mercedes Me but there is no mention of live traffic information anywhere.
I can't say I've noticed the icon you describe but I'll check it next time I use the car.

Confusing isn't it?

It is I agree. I'll grab some shots and post them if I get time. Either way, it's clear your subscription seems not to be activated!

 

[XRS]

No icon on the screen either. Tried all screens, including the sat nav with both a destination planned and without. I guess I'll have to try again to persuade my dealer that there is a problem and hope they find someone capable of fixing it.

 

[Dave.tam]

I have comand online and Mercedes me connect, and I have live traffic updates via comand, but I don't have the live traffic updates in the navigation section of Mercedes me connect services

I only have the available parking spaces and the parked vehicle locator options there.

At the top of the page, it says that I have 11 of 11 activated services, so I assume that I have all the options that are available for my car.

 

[GeorgeR]

It is a TMC based service what you need to buy via Mercedes. The first 3 years is included in the price of the car. From that on it costs 49 GBP per annum. (It is understandable as TMC is a private service in the UK.) However, it is different in other countries for example in Germany. They will give the car the TMC signal without any registration. (You will see the TMC letter on the top right corner of the Navi screen without having any subscription.)
My only doubt is: buying it in the UK will one get the TMC in other paying countries such as France?

 

[Nick Harper]

It is a TMC based service what you need to buy via Mercedes. The first 3 years is included in the price of the car. From that on it costs 49 GBP per annum. (It is understandable as TMC is a private service in the UK.) However, it is different in other countries for example in Germany. They will give the car the TMC signal without any registration. (You will see the TMC letter on the top right corner of the Navi screen without having any subscription.)
My only doubt is: buying it in the UK will one get the TMC in other paying countries such as France?

I think you are mistaken. TMC is a public service in the UK but the authorities use it to manage traffic flow. Mercedes also have there own system through comand online which, I suspect, comes from google.

 

[GeorgeR]

You are right. I have dug into Tom - Tom and reached out to Mercedes UK support and got some clarity on this topic.
(They have confirmed that the) Mercedes navi can use two sources of information to provide dynamic route planning. One is the Tom Tom traffic service (sold by Mercedes as Live traffic information here). It comes from the Tom Tom server (their data is based on mobile phone location as described here and may incorporate some other private services) through the mobile data reception to the Command Online device.
The other source is the TMC. It is with us for many years and supposed to be a public - partially public service (depending on the country) giving you traffic jam information for main roads and providing the traffic announcements (TA). It supposed to work in all Tom Tom driven devices as well as in all previous radios (Mercedes, Becker, any other third party). However, Mercedes made its Command Online devices to receive and use the TMC and TA information in a special way. It makes the device unable to receive the TMC data through the air in most countries of Europe today: among others in the UK, France, etc. (I have tested it recently. In Germany it was working nicely, had the "TMC" letters on the navi screen, it displayed all traffic jams on the planned route without having any Mercedes / Tom Tom subscription. However, there was nothing driving in France and in the UK.)

(As per Mercedes UK customer service) the over the mobile data is a better solution so Mercedes plans to sunset the TMC reception completely very soon. It is a shame. This strategy prevents the owners from using well working public services available in any radio device manufactured in the past 20 years as well as in any Tom Tom navigation device.

 

[markjay]

1. The TomTom Live Traffic data is transmitted to the car via the KOM Module with the built-in Vodafone mobile connection, fitted to MB cars as off June 2013 (initially only as part of the COMAND Online package).

2. When the TomTom Live Traffic service is activated for the car, TMC is switched-off permanently. I.e., the car won't revert to TMC even if the TomTom Live Traffic data subscription is not renewed.

3. For the TomTom Live Traffic service to be available on the Mercedes Me website, the car needs to have option ' B54 Live Traffic Information '. This option can not be retrofitted (i.e. if the car did not come with it).

4. So if your car does have option B54 on the Datacard, but the TomTom Live Traffic service is not showing on the Mercedes Me website as available for your vehicle, then I suggest you contact the Mercedes Me helpline in the Netherlands (not your local MB dealer) on 00800 9777 7777.

 

[GeorgeR]

1. The TomTom Live Traffic data is transmitted to the car via the KOM Module with the built-in Vodafone mobile connection, fitted to MB cars as off June 2013 (initially only as part of the COMAND Online package).

2. When the TomTom Live Traffic service is activated for the car, TMC is switched-off permanently. I.e., the car won't revert to TMC even if the TomTom Live Traffic data subscription is not renewed.

3. For the TomTom Live Traffic service to be available on the Mercedes Me website, the car needs to have option ' B54 Live Traffic Information '. This option can not be retrofitted (i.e. if the car did not come with it).

4. So if your car does have option B54 on the Datacard, but the TomTom Live Traffic service is not showing on the Mercedes Me website as available for your vehicle, then I suggest you contact the Mercedes Me helpline in the Netherlands (not your local MB dealer) on 00800 9777 7777.

Thank you for the further information.
My situation is similar to this but not quite the same.
1.) It is an E class 2014 model, delivered on 21 11 2013 and does not have the built in KOM module. However it can use the phone's data connection via BlueTooth so the data can reach the device.

2.) I used to have the Tom Tom Live Traffic service (code B54 - MBConnect ...) and it has been expired 16 months ago. (I have the option to renew it on the portal but I do not think it is a good value for the money.)

Are you saying this setup may have cancelled the access to TMC? Does this mean all cars with Code B54 - MB Connect have the same disabled TMC ?

It is a little bit confusing as the same car with the same setup can access TMC in some countries - such as in Germany - today.
So do you think I can revert the TMC for other countries by having some change on the car configuration ?
Regards

PS
I have had the discussion with the MB UK helpline (Command online and standard helpline as well) and transferred to some other European hotlines quite a few times.

 

[rf065]

So if your car does have option B54 on the Datacard, but the TomTom Live Traffic service is not showing on the Mercedes Me website as available for your vehicle, then I suggest you contact the Mercedes Me helpline in the Netherlands (not your local MB dealer) on 00800 9777 7777.

Does that include live traffic on a Garmin system? Our SLC300 came with 2015 maps on a SD card, no updates were available but it did have live traffic. I bought a SD card with 2018 maps but it does not have live traffic, if i put the old 2015 card in, live traffic is avalable again.
I've been to the local MB dealer to have it looked at twice and they just say a subscription is necessary

 

[GeorgeR]

As far as I know, the logic is the same for Garmin. You buy the third party service via Mercedes but the data comes from the Garmin server as long as you have a valid record on their server. It looks like the map update confuses your authentication to the Garmin server or your system in your car. Either way I suggest to find a proper Garmin support person telling you why your map change voids the live data and how to obtain a proper map update. (and btw reclaim the cost of the previously bought map update).

 

[rf065]

As far as I know, the logic is the same for Garmin. You buy the third party service via Mercedes but the data comes from the Garmin server as long as you have a valid record on their server. It looks like the map update confuses your authentication to the Garmin server or your system in your car. Either way I suggest to find a proper Garmin support person telling you why your map change voids the live data and how to obtain a proper map update. (and btw reclaim the cost of the previously bought map update).

The Garmin system is not the same as COMAND, you do not get free updates for 3 years, only a free update within the first 60 days. We bought the car with only 107 miles on the clock but it was preregistered and classed as approved used, over 60 days old, so no updates. Local dealer hasn't a clue why we have live traffic on one card but not the other & to be honest, I don't think they really care either.

 

[markjay]

The Garmin system is not the same as COMAND, you do not get free updates for 3 years, only a free update within the first 60 days. We bought the car with only 107 miles on the clock but it was preregistered and classed as approved used, over 60 days old, so no updates. Local dealer hasn't a clue why we have live traffic on one card but not the other & to be honest, I don't think they really care either.

3 years free maps update

and

3 years free Live Traffic

are two different things.