I purchased a 2006 TPII and opted not to spend the additional $2,000 for the navigation system option. Recently I have been wondering if it is possible to install a 3rd party navigation system (e.g. Garmin, TomTom) and have it display via the MID?

Has anyone in this forum investigated this possibility?

UTpiper

Yes and no. I haven't done this myself but I will be tapping into the MFD video interface on my NHW11 Prius later this year. When you get a chance, Google "Mac and Prius" to see how one user has been interfacing to the MFD.

I don't plan to add a navigation function as much as I'm interested in more creative engineering displays to support my experiments. Eventually, I intend to have some route-specific energy management and that may be enhanced by showing an electronic map. But adding a GPS is unlikly in my case.

GOOD LUCK!

Bob Wilson

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Most consumer grade, auto navigation GPS units do not have video out. Some of the higher end ones may have antenna ports, usb ports, audio out ports, etc, but video out is not something the GPS manufacturers are doing with these portable units. The first reason is that most vehicle do not have an LCD in them to display video. The second is that the interfaces are almost entirely touch screen based and those touch screens have different x/y coordinate planes which may not mesh up properly if a portable GPS unit were somehow interfaced with the LCD touchscreen in the car.

I also did not get navigation in my Prius and thank my lucky stars. Portable GPS is useful in many ways. 1. you can move it from car to car. 2. Maps are sometimes more complete than what the dealers are providing. 3. Map upgrades from the auto manufacturers are very expensive. Map upgrades from the GPS makers are not inexpensive, but much more reasonable than the car map upgrades.

I do have a portable GPS for my car and love it. I can move it from car to car, take it with me when riding with other people and program a multi-waypoint route from the comfort of my living room rather than while sitting in my car. Having the unit suction cupped to my windshield is not a big deal. I situate it roughly over my MFD and it is at an eye level where I never have to take my eyes off the road.

It has been said:
Hybrid drivers come in 3 flavors, greenie, techie and cheapie. Pick any 2.
2005 Prius, Melinium Silver over gray, package 5 (AI)

As I am in the market for a GPS device, can I ask which one you ended up purchasing? I am currently debating between the Garmin and Magellan products (TOM-TOM just appears overpriced). Thoughts?

UTpiper