Are navigation updates tied to individual system

[artisticcheese]

I find it ridicilous that yearly update costs more that brand new GPS unit in Best Buy with lifetime updates built in.
There is no Android Auto provided or alternatives either.
Do you know if updates purchased can be used on several cars?

 

[mth]

Don't know but I have the latest update. USB was used to load and the sc card is installed. Don't know if when you update it takes files off usb or not. Also can sc card be copied?

 

[artisticcheese]

SC card can be copied easily unless they used non standard file system. It's just as simple as copying files in Windows explorer

 

[PMCErnie]

I find it ridicilous that yearly update costs more that brand new GPS unit in Best Buy with lifetime updates built in.
There is no Android Auto provided or alternatives either.
Do you know if updates purchased can be used on several cars?

Of course not.

 

[GenesisCaptain]

I find it ridicilous that yearly update costs more that brand new GPS unit in Best Buy with lifetime updates built in.

The map update cost is typical for all OE built-in nav systems that I have seen by all manufacturers. I believe that the update is linked to the serial # of the nav unit.

 

[dareckibmw]

The map update cost is typical for all OE built-in nav systems that I have seen by all manufacturers. I believe that the update is linked to the serial # of the nav unit.

I haven't updated mine yet, but I'm pretty sure the software is tied up to a device ID (nav. unit) in your car.


edit:

 

[artisticcheese]

Update is actually shipped as SD card? I assumed it was online update. I'm finding it's not very easy to provide download which will have embedded serial number inside it. Certainly possible to do but bearing in mind very low number of users I would think it will be overkill to protect this software.

 

[GenesisCaptain]

Update is actually shipped as SD card? I assumed it was online update. I'm finding it's not very easy to provide download which will have embedded serial number inside it. Certainly possible to do but bearing in mind very low number of users I would think it will be overkill to protect this software.

It does not have to have an embedded S/N. All it needs is an unlock code that matches to the S/N in the unit to enable the security routine to unlock the software. It is the same approach that a lot of downloadable software vendors use-- an unlock key that is associated with your email address or some customer ID that must also be entered in the software's registration utility.