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Nah. Telegraph readers it's the blob.

No they just pulled the plug on what they thought was a legacy system and the user companies didn't want to pay up. Connected cars have a subscription basis so that income they can divi up to the providers. TMC was funded by the companies from car sales. Google Maps and Apple advertising income come from being part of their eco system. Those and connected cars spy on your location and travel speed to feed into the system road conditions. TMC used roadside radar and Highways data. I believe their is a market in traffic condition data used by Google, Apple, TomTom and connected cars which they sell to each other where Microsoft Bing get it from and TomTom. You probably get taught this at Uni if doing a degree. I did read it somewhere 😉.

They have infotainment centres that have sat nav 😂. They are using the Seat dealer retort to why the maps can't be updated, use your phone. Well ofcourse they have moved to connected cars using 4g for the traffic data in those infotainment unit with built in mapping systems. One suspects that if you analysed the car manufacturers they have probably all moved to them on new models and regard TMC as a legacy system pulling the plug early by not funding the provider excluding those that keep Inrix going.

Yes the units are scalable on how they want to sell them. Skoda and VW got free map updates on the built-in one whilst Seat and Audi didn't. The FeC controls what is unlocked in them in how it behaves. Like buying a TV which is 4k but only works in HD since it was cheaper to make them with all bells and whistles but selling them at different price points under software control. That the Function enablement code (FeC). That's how they get the variations between what is sold by country, model and brand. All core hardware and software. The firmware is specific but people do install the wrong brand onto their cars so you'll see people say that is Skoda software on a Seat etc. They got hold of the wrong file. The actual mib2 unit can be installed across brands, same hardware. At the end of the day people have to do their own research on what they are buying not be suckered into the sales speal or think they can upgrade after. Some can't be.

FM the Government wanted to sell the FM band, they have gone off that now. In Eire DAB has been closed down so only FM. The Government also wants to sell the Freeview band as well giving public broadcasters an issue. The right have been plotting that for a time. It's gone away at the minute. Technically, Freesat could get discontinued if Sky get everyone onto broadband reception. Cake and eat it.

Well it's Android Auto or Car Play if you bought the car with the licence. VAG on MIB2 licence what you can use. Most VAG vehicles least on the Seat side were sold fully licensed for Android Auto / Car Play. Pass on Audi. Elsewhere, out of the UK, they may well be sold differently. I seem to come across German posters on boards without Android Auto / Car Play installed. In the UK dealers would sell the cars as built in maps are use less, use your phone. Might be OK if you live in a good 4G spot and people say download the maps if you don't. If you have TSR you want to use the built in system. There is a reason for integration. I wouldn't trust my smart device to have a blip whilst you are driving.

He did an internet search of the boards and gave a garbage answer 😂. Telegraph is like that now.

If its a pre 2020 car with mib2 AA or Car Play enabled that can be enabled by FeCs. Post 2020 it's a mib3. Skoda didn't vary from the VAG brand. The issue is with Mib2 standard and high units which Skoda call Amundsen and Columbus respectively. There is a toolkit and firmware updates that will give you AA / Car Play. They are developed by a network of enthusiasts that have unpicked Vag software. Something similar exists for standard unit. A retrofitter can enable the FeCs if the model was sold with navigation but not AA / Car Play and its a mib2 standard or high. Basically it's the units which ran from 2015 - 2019 mib2s which have fallen into the TMC trap. Post 2020 models including 2020, namely mib3 got connected services but you pay for them with a renewal license.

If we do get a DIY technical solution to hacking it onto the other provider can we have a big puff of smoke.

Indeed the worry with connected cars they will just turn the facilities off. The map updates they run for 5 years after they upgrade the mib so on map a 2-3 more years on that for mib2. Mib3 one suspects that the integrated traffic reporting on that will go to 2030. Over the air software updates to the firmware will go if they pull the data link. The map updates are a forrunner to how things will be in connected cars. Mib2 firmware they stopped developing circa 2020 so there are no more bug fixes on those. Hobbyists taking over. On mib3 if there is some development on Android / iOS in the future that limits, then people using that approach now will be stranded, ditto mib2. If they choose to change the screen emulation of those systems then they wont be happy bunnies with their best friend smartphone unable to connect. That's the one to watch. It's really the IT development in cars that need the long term care together with the mechanics. Keeping legacy systems going. On that one Vag don't have a good reputation, deleting mib support pages as the next mib comes along. POI import a case in point.

Practically I don't reckon anything is going to happen officially, it all rests on whether users can get the alternative data in somehow. The alternative method is to follow the other cars in front on a Google maps rat run when a traffic jam occurs and peel off to get to where you are going back using the cars sat nav. I've done that one. If driving yourself... helps to have the co partner on navigation. Old school methods or use Google Maps etc.

VW tend to be the brains and it's them that terminate services in the past.

I don't trust them to pull the plug on online software car updates, which connected cars use. You can put these on AA or Apple if you wish but the point is the car was sold with TMC. The INRIX technical solution will be the answer if one exists, other than that providers of the TMC data service have done the dirty on its users.

2020 so it's 3 years old for some and the plug pulled out. Reckon they will do the same for connected service. Mib4 and then the plug pulled on Mib3 soon after 2025. More like disconnected services.

I did read it takes a time to build up. I don't know how that works but isn't suppose to work instantly. May be it will arrive. The mib2 standard people can nibble at that end. You'd have to force a reboot on the standard one I guess. The high possibly does that if you used the back end menu. SWDL.

I don't think the standard unit uses the route meta checksum, some times you see it on downloads other times you don't. It's more there for a human check than a machine check. PCBBC will tell me if I'm wrong. It's the Mib2 high which is tight on fiddling. Why on the Mib2 standard people delete the language files to save space, swap the countries around get the unit working out of zone. Better test bed to experiment with than the Mib2 high on this. I'll wait for clear instruction :). Too many cooks and so forth. Got one car with a high unit on it, the other with a standard unit. So can test if anyone gets it working. Between you two or more. BTW when you compute the checksum you take out the checksum and signatures etc. I've used this in the past but I dont' think for the standard unit you don't need to bother with checksums. The POI files where it comes in more on those. That's where I've had to do it where VAG introduced new users IDs for the model so one was editing the POI input file from Poinspector prior to the programmer getting the new ID into their program. Was a Seat wifi standard unit issue now fixed. The last time I had to get my head round it. SLA1 signature check on mib2 high stops map fiddling but we'll see what PCBBC achieves. The Mr Bonk method / mib2 collective as I call them will I guess edit the map file within the unit so circumvents the check. That's how the Aussie is doing it. https://download.cnet.com/MD5-SHA-Checksum-Utility/3000-2092_4-10911445.html

Those are the firmware releases, not map releases which is the thread.

OK I've found that material await your testing. I can say I've never edited an ISO and put the material back inside. We are also looking for champions (I am anyhow) to turn MIB3 maps into MIB2 high ones when they pull the plug on mib2 high maps in a few years time. Chillout said it would be cool. I was hoping that would be taken onboared. Wait to see how it goes on your edit.

I was avoiding fiddling. The mib2 standard if it's in the map files can be hacked. Mib2 high they are signed so can't be edited. Had a look at the link, Mr Bonk the the mib2 high collective. I do have a version of that toolkit on my Seat, how I got the Skoda life long navigation FeC on my Seat Mib2 high when VAG did the dirty on one release and left Seat off. The tool sits in the green menu and you run it to give you retrofitter tools as if it was on a bench. They put all the retrofitters tools in it. Avoids signed updates. They found a way of side loading it into units due to a flaw in the Vag signature check so it slips into the units under the radar. I'll wait till after my holidays to fiddle with it. You really need an expert on a forum to help. I had one. The tool is paired with the firmware release you are on. It reads that. If it's in the database you get paired. If not they write one for you, hopefully. That's how it worked then. It latches onto the firmware. It uses developers hooks that were left in the firmware... so runs as test code. It might better pair now. I did look at more recent copies of it and it seemed to pair differently. May be more generalised. Come across Audi OZ person on the MartiniB map release thread who had installed the Audi firmware. They have generalised their work now to produce firmware avoiding the signature... for the Australian they had it set up against the EU maps FeC. I got them onto the toolbox to alter the FeC to RoW... It was working then... They did need Mr Bonks help, I'd said press a button, needed some one else to say what to do, I gave them the FeC, 99% there, I said press AddFeCs they hadn't. That's when it became apparent it was more generalised in how it paired. You always reboot after using it so the changes get taken. Given you only use it once for a job... It gets hazy after. We are still looking for a champion 😍. Btw the other Audi folk that appear on MartiniB navigation files thread will have the mib collectives firmware on them (aka Mr Bonk). They do this for the life long navigation FeC. They then seek help to get the maps in on them normal stumbling blocks. The toolkit gets added and then may be deleted at the end. These are the "AIO" prefixed releases. All in one. Had people that say, no don't want the toolbox installed then don't get the FeCs they were installing it for. There are toolbox versions for mib2 standard. If it was something that was useful on the TMC side it might have been added to the mib2 standard toolkit(s).

I've asked the Seat Leon 4 folk. We'll see what they say. Get them looking for it in their units. Any mib3 is worth a looks. It squares a circle.

It's in the self training material for Audi for Mib3 atleast. Attached that above. You would have to sit in a Skoda with Mib3 and look for it as a cross check.

If you pay for connected services it comes over the air but it's also in mib3 as broadcast TMC as well. They will be stuffed. The dealer training material for Audi mib3 is here. MC-10189329-0001.pdf

Yes 2020 when they moved to mib3 so units from circa 3 years old affected not 13 years ago.

I wouldnt jump trains which is 3* to 4* probably end in tears. People mod the train up. Changing software gives you an SVM, the confirmation code in the 5F unit you put through https://mib-helper.com/im-so-xory/ Then puthing the return code into confirmation code least in Obdeleven Pro. Anyhow it won't help since it's not old firmware that's the issue.

This thread isn't for the latest maps so you need the 330 release see below if you haven't found it but that isn't your technical issue. The instructions I was talking about are here, my 11th November post, the VW how to PDF. The gold standard: So your issue will be a presentation issue only of not presenting the update as expected (You have a mib2 high, tick, a Skoda so not a navigation FeC issue, tick, using Windows so not a Mac issue tick). That leaves not unzipped or at the wrong directory level down in how it's presented etc (see PDF in thd link). Also good to pull other cards out so it only sees the media. You are suppose to use 7zip for the unzip process. Others can give a problem. Basically the unit reads the files and checks the integrity of the files from the signatures and checksum. If they don't pass it won't see the update. Not in the correct level is another - see the PDF, not unzipped correctly, or not using a valid file system, Fat32 for the 32gb card, exFat for above cards, or NTFS for USB and it wont work. Those are the outstanding issues to check. Suppose to be in Fat32, 32gb SD card but the maps have outgrown some cards, you use say 64gb in exFat if that's the case or USB in NTFS (That isn't in the instructions above). I mention that if after using the latest you find they wont fit on the card. I did use to say only stick to the 32GB card but since the maps have expanded above what some 32GB cards can handle now, you can get issues if you don't get the file system right for exFat on big SD cards or NTFS for USB. So that was the other issue people hit. The latest maps are here: Release 330. Your 166 you see on the screen will become 330 when successful. They are the June 2023 release found early by MartiniB in April. I think poster drifted threads at this point so you might be using the latest or may be not. The Mod John needs to pin that thread above and un-pin this one so people find the latest at the top else people grab the wrong files.