Ferrari removing built-in Sat-Nav because no one uses them anymore

Ferrari is removing its built-in sat-nav system from its cars, because it seems no one is ever using it.

This means that, from now on, if you need a navigation system in your Ferrari, you’re going to need to use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto.

Is it better or worse?

Good question, but the point is, Ferrari is not alone in this.

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It feels like built-in navigation systems are going the way of the Blu-ray disk, in that it’s a type of technology that had a very short lifespan, simply because it became outdated really quickly.

For the longest time, all we had were cassettes, then we had CDs and DVDs, then for about five minutes we had Blu-ray disks, and now all of that is gone because everything is being streamed and has no physical form.

It’s the same with the built-in sat navs.

For almost a century, drivers could rely on nothing else but maps and their sense of direction.

Then portable navigation systems were invented, and shortly thereafter, they were implemented as a built-in feature in the car.

But this didn’t last long, chiefly because map apps on our phone work better than any built-in sat nav, and this has been the case for a while now.

Why others will follow Ferrari

Why are automakers ditching their own sat navs?

The short answer is that it’s easier and faster for Apple or Google to update their maps than it is for an automaker to do so.

When Apple releases an update (the latest is iOS 18), your phone is updated overnight, literally.

It’s the same with Apple CarPlay, which was upgraded with iOS 18.

Some automakers do offer over-the-air updates, but most don’t, which means you have to drive to a service center and wait, and that takes time.

Car systems can’t keep up, especially when you now have so many alternatives, from Waze to more complex systems like What3Words (which is available with a Lambo, by the way).

Android Auto vs Apple CarPlay, who’s the winner?

In the early days of Apple Maps, the company itself admitted its system was not as good as Google Maps.

This gap is no longer that wide but the truth is, there’s a lot more to Android Auto and Apple CarPlay than just their respective maps.

At the end of the day, Android Auto vs Apple CarPlay is just another field where the never-ending battle between these two mainstream operating systems, Android and Apple, is being played.

Translated, Apple users will probably tell you Apple CarPlay is a thousand times better, while Android users will tell you the opposite is true.

Are we surprised?