First EU navigation update available

Seems like the first update for the European on-board navigation is available.

You might be able to find it via the "e-store" in your country's Toyota site, but you can also get it from the Toyota-Tech site at https://www.toyota-tech.eu/Navigation/base if you make a free login there.

My July production car came with "2023-2024 Ver. 1" - the one currently on the site is 6 months newer (Ver. 2). And I think the next one should be due quite soon.

You install via USB - need a 32GB FAT32 memory stick, as it's over 20GB of data.

Updates are free for 7 years, as required by the EU speed limit regulations. To get the free update you need to enter some numbers from your navigation unit, the site generates a license code, and you type that into the car as you start the update.

I haven't tried it yet - will be having a go tomorrow. Got my USB stick ready.

 

And the update process worked. Not driven anywhere with it yet, but it's reporting the new version at least.

Took maybe 40 minutes.

Only troublesome part contrary to the documentation is that the update didn't actually start immediately - instead it said it was ready for update and going to start the update on the next power on. A few attempts to turn the car off and back on that looked like they were shutting down the multimedia system didn't make it proceed, but after a long press of the volume/power knob to reset the head unit, it started.

 

May be partly that - an associated thing is the Safe Exit Assist - I understand that has some verbal indication which is provided with the help of the head unit, and the system is held on for a while to provide that. The timeout is indicated by a dash message about it no longer being active.

I thought actually getting out of the car and locking it would be sufficient to get it shut down immediately, but apparently not.

No obvious difference in the start-up time between holding the button for reset and short cycles just to the screen off state, so no obvious "only standby" cues.

Drove around a bit - confirmed at least one road nearby that was out-of-date in 2023v1 is now correct in 2023v2. So it's not a fake update.

Still waiting for a correction to a nearby motorway junction sign that I think I reported back in September - too late for 2023v2, but could have made it into 2024v1.

 

Yes, that's the one. A huge lag from map data to actually being available is normal.

Although at this point we really should be due for the next 2024 Ver.1 update with 2023Q2 data very soon, as the 2023 Ver.2 (2022Q4 map data) is only 6 months newer than what the car was delivered with, and the car was built 13 months ago.

I don't know how much lag there is from nav being used in production to being available for download - I don't know when that 2023 Ver.2 went up there.

 

It looks like the MM21 system is lagging - all the older systems you can download USB updates for on toyota-tech.eu seem to have 2023Q2 data already.

 

Update is now online:

"Spring 2024 update for Map database of TOYOTA SMART CONNECT Plus"

"12-24-06[2023-11-6] (V24.00.06 data)"

 

Nothing to report yet - extracted it to a USB stick today, taking about 10 hours, then I realised I needed a USB-A to USB-C adapter and don't have one with me. Sigh.

 

Okay, updated smoothly. Took 35 minutes. Now announces itself as "2024-2025 Ver. 1" as expected.

 

Yeah, I imagine you could. You'd get lost though.

 

Interestingly since I last looked, there's a new update for "Toyota SMART CONNECT" (not "Plus", not "(EU)").

That's only 6GB rather than 21GB. I'm a bit puzzled by that, as I thought the non-Plus version was the version without the built-in navigation.

But then it does say "Spring 2024 Speed Limit Database update" while the Plus says "Spring 2024 Map Database update".

So maybe that version just has a reduced built-in map that can manage the speed limits, but not the full navigation UI.

I had assumed that we got the "Plus" in the Prius with the built-in navigation because that was their way of complying with the speed limit rules, but looks like they've got a cheaper option.

 

Browsing through some brochures I found that the Aygo X can come with basic Smart Connect. Looks like below that is now Toyota Touch 3 in various lower model trims, which also has a speed database update available.