Using Voice Recognition

Figure 49: Accessing the Voice Menu

Mercedes' 2007 S-Class certainly isn't the first GPS system to boast voice recognition, but it's definitely the best one I've used to date.

The voice menu is accessed by clicking on the ear icon from the map menu, shown above in figure 49.

Figure 50: Voice Menu

Clicking on the ear icon (shown in figure 49) activated the voice menu, shown above. One the voice menu is activated, the car begins "listening" for your command.

In order to test the voice recognition system, I'll enter a new address using only my voice. Note that when using the voice recognition, the system automatically lowers the stereo volume if any music is playing.

Figure 51: Speaking a Street Name

Entering a destination using voice recognition is identical to non-voice entered addresses, except you spell the words one letter at a time. As you speak each letter, the GPS displays the letter it heard so you can visually confirm it is hearing you correctly.

Figure 52: Using Voice Recognition To Choose A Street

Once enough letters have been spoken that the GPS can narrow the results to a short list, a list of matching street names is automatically produced.

Notice that each street name is numbered; speaking the corresponding number selects that street. For example, in the figure above, speaking the word "six" will select "Central Square" as the desired street name.

Figure 53: Inputting Numbers with VR

Entering the house number with voice recognition is simple and works well.

Figure 54: Saving an Address

Once an address has been fully entered, you can begin navigating to the entered address by saying "Yes", or save the destination into the address book by saying "Save destination".

Pros

• Well-integrated with the rest of the car
• Large, 8-inch color LCD display makes the map easy to read from either the driver or passenger seat
• Dashboard display shows navigation prompts right under the speedometer, reducing the need to look at the 7-inch console display
• GPS speed sensor connected to the airbag accelerometers, providing map tracking even when the GPS can't get satellite signal. This is especially handy when driving through long tunnels.
• NAVTEQ mapping data
• Mapping updates released every year
• Navigation system integrated with the car's stereo speakers and hands-free speakerphone. The system even lowers music playback volume to announce a maneuver, then raises the volume back.
• Good routing engine
• GPS gives good amount of advance warning of a pending turn. For example, when driving on a highway, the GPS will announce the next maneuver at 3 miles, 1.5 miles, 1000 feet, and 250 feet
• Display panel can be angled 20 degrees left or right for easier viewing from the driver's seat
• Voice recognition works well and virtually all operations can be performed via voice
• COMAND joystick controller conveniently located within arms reach for one-handed operation
• Maps stored on internal 20-GB hard drive instead of slower DVD-ROM discs used on previous Mercedes systems
• Supports multi-stop trips (only 2 stops can be entered)
• Ability to use zip codes when entering an address
• GPS positioning takes place even when COMAND is off
• Supports off road navigation (although not to coordinates)

Cons

• Overly complex instruction manual (it's more than 700 pages)
• No easy way to view a turn-by-turn route summary
• Address input is time consuming compared to other GPS systems
• Map screen lacks essential pieces of information (no ETA, time to next turn, etc.)
• Overly complex instruction manual (it's 700 pages long)
• No 3D map view (2D only)
• Erratic displaying of street names on the map. Sometimes you really want to see the street name, and the GPS just doesn't display the name, no matter what zoom level you choose
• Map updates are expensive (~$200)
• No real-time traffic data
• LCD is not a touch screen. All controls are operated via iDrive-esque joystick
• Cannot route to longitude/latitude coordinates
• GPS signal performance not as strong as SiRF's StarIII
• No route optimization feature (ability to enter a group of addresses and have the GPS order the stops in the most efficient manner)
• Text-to-speech voice sounds computer generated, stilted
• Relatively few configurable options
• No ability to enter custom POIs
• No ability to watch video on the 8-inch display (in the USA. Apparently the European version does allow this)
• POI search results are listed alphabetically instead of by distance
• POI database lacks phone numbers for businesses (restaurants, etc.)
• Only 1.7 million POIs

CONCLUSION

For Mercedes-Benz fans, there is much to rejoice about in Mercedes' 9th generation (2007) S-Class. The car itself is an engineering masterpiece worthy of being called Mercedes' top model. This new model packs more electronics than any previous S-Class, and integrating all those systems into the new COMAND system was surely no easy task for MB engineers.

The GPS (NAVI) system itself is by far the nicest Mercedes has produced to date. A beautiful, bright 8-inch LCD panel is easy to see in even the brightest sunlight. The dated "soft keys" and "pushbutton switch" found on previous S-Class models have been replaced by the unified iDrive-like joystick. Although not popular with everyone, I actually found the new system considerably easier to use than previous systems. Menus are more intuitively named, and overall system performance is significantly improved thanks to a faster CPU and hard disk based storage instead of DVD-ROM discs used in the past.

The new NAVI system includes some welcome enhancements over previous versions, including multi-stop routing, hard drive based map storage, and voice recognition (that actually works) for operating the GPS hands-free.

The S-Class has lots going for it. Yet the GPS (NAVI) system lacks some basic features found on even the most inexpensive portable GPS units. For example, the map view is 2-D only. There is no 3-D aspect view. The POI database includes a paltry 1.7 million entries. Garmin's nuvi units, on the other hand, come pre-loaded with over 6 million POIs. There's also no way to tell the NAVI system if you prefer shortest distance, shortest time, least use of highway, or most use of highway when calculating the route the GPS will take. Real-time traffic information is also notably absent.

The 2007 S-Class is Mercedes' best NAVI GPS system to date, and a considerable update from previous models. However, in terms of ease of use and features, a portable GPS still comes out on top.