Reminds of the control system in the GMC Yukon Denali, it does most of what this does, but without the VR, plus a few thousand cheaper I imagine. I don't think built in units will ever meet the features and options that portable units have.

I think you are under rating the value of inertial navigation (which all the built ins have) and over rating the value of large POI counts.

in Europe the system uses TMC (FM radio based) for real time traffic updates.

It works like a charm.

It is possible to choose shortest route, fastest route and no highway-route in a menu at the top of the screen. I'm not sure why Mercedes choose to put these options away from the other navigation options.

The biggest problem I have is the lack of updates. I've picked my car up in 2007, and my dealer has no clue as to how the navigation system is updated.

That's the problem with German nav systems in US models. They don't get all the options that the cultured world(Europe) has had for DECADES.... like TMC. Audi RNS-E and lesser have had this option, and some have retroed them in their US A6/A4s and installed the TMC adaptor and TV tuner to watch shows(another feature the US doesn't supply until recently with outrageous subscription fees for sat tv).

You own an Audi, I'm surprised you haven't been aware of this. Heck, even my 9 yr old Audi now, has OEM nav(and RDBS which is only now getting used more by FM stations). Ya, it uses the small red DIS to display names and arrows, but it's there, and has a damn better voice than these dash mount systems are coming with.

The US is just way behind on nav still. And you should check out the new 3G MMI from Audi, or even the 2G systems, or even the old RNS-E and compare them. They had lane assist WAY before navigon came along.

Oh, to the guy who needs map DVD updates, forget the idiot dealer. They're clueless how to order them even at the Audi ones. Go to the navteq site directly. But it's gonna cost you. Usually around $200 per update. And another thing I don't like is that usually the euro makers skimp on the map detail for the US market. Don't know why, but the Asians, using the same freakin year DVD have more addresses on them than the Euros.

I complained to Audi about this when I tried the new MMI nav in the A8. I asked them who the moron is who let the asians outshine a $80,000 car with a 20,000 minivan on map detail. They got the point and fixes it.

HI

I OWNED A E320 BEFOR AND LOVED THE NAV. I FELT THAT IT WAS THE BEST I HAVE USED. I AM A REALTOR,I NEED A GOOD GPS. I USE THEM 24-7. MY QUESTION IS WHO MAKES THE MERCEDES GPS. I HAVE THE CADILAC AND THE BMW 745LI AND HATE THE GPS.I WOULD LOVE TO PURCHASE A GPS THAT WORKS LIKE THE MERCEDES NAV.