Aptosuser

I tried to use NAV voice commands to find restaurants while driving during an extended road trip over the weekend. When I requested nearby POIs for dining, all I got were a few fast-food places, even when I knew there had to be other options nearby. I was surprised by this because I know that our Garmin would've come up with an extensive list of eateries in the same areas. So I went back to the manual after we got home and found a couple of pages listing "natural speech" voice commands. I tried a couple this morning. First problem was that no matter how clearly and slowly I said "show groceries", it took multiple tries before the system understood me. Then when it did, it came up with just a couple of markets near our house, but not the Safeway a mile away. Either the NAV lady is ignorant, or I'm not asking her the right way. Anyway, she's been less than helpful so far.

Has anyone here had better luck with finding POIs? And if so, how?

vlad_a

Nobody has luck with the voice recognition. It plain and simple doesn't work. That's why there's Siri Eyes Free in 2014.

Aptosuser

Well gee, I guess I'm just you-know-what out of luck, because I just got this nice 2010 RX 450h a couple of months ago with less than 15,000 miles on it and I'm not about to replace it just to get better software. But what about Points of Interest. Are they as limited as they seem to me? And given that this car is three or four years old, I suppose it's time for a trip to the dealer to get a map update, right?

By the way, the NAV voice command system in my wife's 2012 Camry hybrid isn't much better, although it does come up with more suggestions when you search for a POI than the Lexus system does.

vlad_a

I had good luck with POIs. You can get them displayed on the map. We were out of town for my wife's birthday, and that's exactly what we did for restaurants. Looked around us in the area and found a really cozy place.

Replacing 2010 with 2014 just for Nav would be pointless. It is still very limited in what it can do. Just get an iPhone Siri is awesome. Often enough, I rely on it instead of Nav.

Aptosuser

I have Siri, but my wife would have to talk to her while we're driving and she (my wife) is a technophobe.

falconer

All is usually good in the 2014 in my opinion. My wife dislikes using the voice commands and such. So she hits "destination assist", lets the attendant sort through her needs, then it is loaded into the system and off she goes.

RX330inFL

The current version of the maps is 13.1. You can check the menu(s) to see what version you have. More than likely you are at least several years out of date.

http://www.lexusnavigation.com/what-to-order/

cflutist

Well I'm glad that I'm not the only one with VN trouble. We couldn't figure out how to shut her up once she started talking (other than Delete Destinaion). Plus she can't undertand hubby's LOOONNNGG Island accent. LOL

I did get her to play an Album on my USB stick.

Droid13

My 2010 came with V8 of the maps originally, so there could be lots of changes depending on your area with the latest maps.

I've always found the VR to work 80 to 90% of the time, but it's like talking to a dog. Responds well to most standard commands, but sometimes nothing works. I've had lots of practice though, the VR in the RX is the same VR that was used in my 2007 Camry before, responds and functions pretty much the same.

RXSF

I don't use voice command at all except for phone. POIs still work with the remote touch while moving.

cflutist

So I talked to the "Technology" person at the dealership today and he said that the only way to shut her up while taking a phone call was to turn the volume all the way down. There is NO MUTE function

Aptosuser

I'll try to teach my technophobe wife to co-pilot!

oohpapi44

iTrader: (1)

You can pause the navigation directions though if you want to keep her quiet while on a phone call. And then resume when the call is over. Really depends on which is more important to you at the time. Getting directions or being on the call undisturbed.

yeehawbob

just be aware that the software update will cost you $150 just for the software and then $350 minimum for the $tealer to do the actual update. You do not have the option to do it your self.

rj4510

Hats all I ever get when trying to use voice commands! What gives? I don't have an accent either. Anyone else finding voice commands not only useless, but frustrating? I've watched videos and followed the screen prompts and all I get is Pardon or the wrong interpretation! I say call home (entry exists on my phone) and it brings up something else. Try to spell out the number and Pardon?!!!! The useless navi on my 03 GX could understand me..what tha?