NTG 5*2 Why are we waiting?

[rf065]

As the title says, it would appear the latest COMAND map updates (version 15) for my 2016 w205 are now 2 to 3 years old. Does anyone know when the next update will be released?

 

[Chrishazle]

You're not alone, when I had my NTG4 HDD updated so it would take post 2105 updates comand.co.uk installed the replacement HDD and the latest 2018-19 update and told me MB were still issuing updates for NTG4 - but even MB having bought the company that provided the maps, there's been no info on later updates so that's all we have. Same for the NTG2.5 in my SLK.

 

[rf065]

I've been holding off updating as there are a few bypasses and dual c/ways built round my way that were only finished in the last 2 or 3 years, they won't even be on version 15 either, I'm still on 2019 Version 13. I was under the impression the maps were updated annually, but obviously not?
Only saving grace is my trusty TomTom is updated quarterly without fail but would like to use the Mercedes sat nav without sticking a TomTom on the windscreen, very poor by Mercedes I think.

 

[DITTRICH]

That is shocking when the Garmin mercedes sd cards manage new maps every year. About £30 without traffic from ebay etc

 

[rf065]

That is shocking when the Garmin mercedes sd cards manage new maps every year. About £30 without traffic from ebay etc

Sure is a good advert for Mercedes, buy a MB, pay extra for COMAND, and stick a TomTom on the windscreen if you don't want to get lost!

 

[BTB 500]

Only saving grace is my trusty TomTom is updated quarterly without fail

I recently had some fun & games with the map update on my trusty TomTom, which started hanging. Speed camera updates worked fine - it was just the map update that no longer worked. After a lot of tinkering I discovered that my active map (Europe) was installed in the TomTom's memory rather than on the SD card. The new version of the map was slightly larger, and no longer fitted into the device memory. The update process couldn't handle this and just locked up every time. After a bit of head scratching and trial & error the solution was ...

1. download a different map (any small one, I used Benelux) onto the SD card then make that the active map
2. uninstall the Europe map, leaving the device memory mostly empty
3. download a smaller map to the device memory (I used the UK only map) then make that the active map
4. uninstall the map on the SD card (Benelux), leaving the SD card empty
5. download the new version of the Europe map onto the SD card then make that the active map

I left the UK map installed in the device memory as a fallback in case the SD card should ever fail.

No problems with map updates on our S205 as it's a facelift one with NTG 5.5. Apart from being a subscription service of course, and no speed cameras! Both are free 'for life' on our TomTom (AFAIK they no longer offer this).

 

[rf065]

Does anyone know of a contact within Mercedes or whoever runs their sat nav updates that could confirm when any updates are likely ot maybe not at all?

 

[richard]

They sadly just don't give any warning of updates. There have been bad cases in the past, for instance the 2010 W221 S class (NTG3.5), last map available is 2015 .. a lot of unhappy S class owners.

NTG5*2 map V15 was released on 8th June 2021

They have officially said "final release" for NTG1 / NTG2 / NTG2.5 / NTG3 / NTG3.5 / NTG4 (W204) / NTG4 (W212) COMAND maps though

 

[rf065]

They sadly just don't give any warning of updates. There have been bad cases in the past, for instance the 2010 W221 S class (NTG3.5), last map available is 2015 .. a lot of unhappy S class owners.

NTG5*2 map V15 was released on 8th June 2021

They have officially said "final release" for NTG1 / NTG2 / NTG2.5 / NTG3 / NTG3.5 / NTG4 (W204) / NTG4 (W212) COMAND maps though

Wow, did not know it was that bad, never thought that an S Class could only be 5 years old when they stopped updating the maps!
My W205 facelift came out in 2016, so if last maps were 2021, also 5 years. I think I see pattern here, I do hope I'm wrong and another update appears soon!

 

[markjay]

NTG4.5 was released in 2010, the last version of the maps (so far) is 2020, so that's 10 years later, not too bad. But yes, it's quite erratic.

I think that the issue is possibly that demand dropps off after the first 3 years of free updates, and then drops off again when the car gets older - at ~£150 per update not many owners will continue updating, especially given the limitations of the COMAND navigation (no speed cameras, and no live traffic on older cars now that Vodafone switch off their 3g). It gets to a point when the main commercial activity is that of cut-price pirated discs and hacked PIN codes on eBay, which obviously generates no income to MB.

 

[Flyinspanner]

You’re better off using WAZE on your smartphone.
(great if you can make your ICE screen mirror it - l do on my Citroen van)
its free.
it updates all the time.
dynamic routing.

The MB stuff is hampered by being years out of date (maps)
and the hardware is also years out of date….

 

[rf065]

Unfortunately Android Auto or Apple carplay do not work in mine, so not an option.

 

[JHS]

NTG4.5 was released in 2010, the last version of the maps (so far) is 2020, so that's 10 years later, not too bad. But yes, it's quite erratic.

I think that the issue is possibly that demand dropps off after the first 3 years of free updates, and then drops off again when the car gets older - at ~£150 per update not many owners will continue updating, especially given the limitations of the COMAND navigation (no speed cameras, and no live traffic on older cars now that Vodafone switch off their 3g). It gets to a point when the main commercial activity is that of cut-price pirated discs and hacked PIN codes on eBay, which obviously generates no income to MB.

^^^^^^^^^
This. I and some others on here have gone the ebay route with no problems.

 

[Skd884]

Use phone - google maps £0.00

Waze £0.00

Updates £0.00