# Yet another google earth problem



## lp01 (Dec 24, 2009)

Hi!

Looking for some help from the "software" experts in this forum...

My 2015 TT tdi has the google earth maps overlay activated, since the car had no audi connect/ sim card.

For 2 years it worked perfectly. Typically I would use the iphone as a hotspot and the MMI did the rest, downloading the maps if necessary.

The good thing was the maps were apparently downloaded to the hard drive and I went using it, months in a row, without the need of using the phone as a hotspot. So far, so good. There was a message upon starting the car, which I ignored, and the google maps were downloaded from the hard drive.

Since the google service will be discontinued I thought to use the iphone as a hotspot and try to download the maximum terrain possible in order for it to be ready in the hard drive....

That is when the strangest thing happened. When I pair the phone for data I get stuck in the initial loding google earth screnn. Wait for more than an hour, with different sources as hotspots, to no avail.

The worst thing is that I cant use google maps without data connection anymore. Now there is an additional message saying it cant use google without the data connection and jumps immediately to the standard audi maps. It seems like the MMI is not able to fetch the data recorded in the hard drive.

Have tried everything: resets, factory resets, coding again the 5F module, byte 15, and no google maps anymore 

Since I never had any FW update since initial coding I am really surprised why it stopped working all of a sudden. Not the stuck google earth screen, but the fact that the MMi is not able to fetch the Hard Drive data.. any ideias or suggestions?

Thanks. Regards


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## Blackhole128 (Dec 24, 2015)

This reply isn't going to help very much!

I recently had my 65 plate in for an MOT and I asked the service manager if there was anything they could do to bring back my Google Map overlay which had stopped working.

He said that the Google Maps needed Audi Connect service to be active (I don't think that's true - it's supposed to be just for traffic info etc., but that's what he said). I still have Connect so that wasn't the issue.

They updated my MMI software to the latest they could get on it. Now I just get a screen-wide "Google Maps" logo behind the dials and no further loading of the satnav map when the Google Maps view is selected. He said he'd be raising it as an Audi issue on the system because there have been a lot of other UK owners complaining of the same problems with Google Maps.

I did tell him that I'd read that the Google service was ending (ended?) and asked if there was supposed to be another maps service provider stepping in. He genuinely seemed to be trying to help, but he had no idea.

Just thought I'd let you know my experience so far.


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## lp01 (Dec 24, 2009)

Thanks for sharing. Unfortunately, lots of dealers have no clue about the google earth issue...

AFAIK, the "freezed" google earth screen os normal, althought I thought it would work unitll December, 31th, but apparently someone unpluged it sooner.

My problem is more related with the fact that the MMI is not being able to switch to the maps saved in the hard drive... which is very annoying. It always did it without a problem


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## Blade Runner (Feb 16, 2018)

Another thread where Google Earth and Google Maps are getting mixed up. Only the native Audi maps system is permanently stored (so has to be periodically updated) and its operation is unaffected by this 'Google issue'. The Google earth _overlay _required an internet connection (via Audi Connect or some other method) as the data is supplied on-the-fly. I believe that some data was cached, but not nearly enough to allow the system to work without a connection. Anyway, it has now stopped working completely (for pre-MY19 cars I believe) due to an incompatibility between the MMI hardware and the new Google Earth software. You can complain about that if you wish (many have!), but that's another story. I understand that an alternative to Google earth is available (Maxar?), but that requires an MMI upgrade:

https://www.ttforum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=98&t=2002835

Just for completeness, you can run Google _maps_ (as an alternative to the native Audi satnav system) from you phone using Android Auto (or Apple Carplay?), but that requires the Audi Smartphone Interface.


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## rafamonteiroo (Nov 15, 2019)

I'm sorry for the question here,

but my MMI has no SIM-CARD entry,

How did you activate Google Earth (vcds only?) and how do you connect your phone to a hotspot?

My mib2 is already hacked for carplay / android-auto


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## lp01 (Dec 24, 2009)

@rafamonteiro: see here https://www.ttforum.co.uk/forum/viewtop ... start=1545
Very simple if you have obd eleven for instance. Nevertheless, since it stopped working, I think you will not be able to use it because the car wont be able to download the maps and obviously not able to cache it. Regards


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## lp01 (Dec 24, 2009)

Blade Runner said:


> Another thread where Google Earth and Google Maps are getting mixed up. Only the native Audi maps system is permanently stored (so has to be periodically updated) and its operation is unaffected by this 'Google issue'. The Google earth _overlay _required an internet connection (via Audi Connect or some other method) as the data is supplied on-the-fly. I believe that some data was cached, but not nearly enough to allow the system to work without a connection. Anyway, it has now stopped working completely (for pre-MY19 cars I believe) due to an incompatibility between the MMI hardware and the new Google Earth software. You can complain about that if you wish (many have!), but that's another story. I understand that an alternative to Google earth is available (Maxar?), but that requires an MMI upgrade:
> 
> https://www.ttforum.co.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=98&t=2002835
> 
> Just for completeness, you can run Google _maps_ (as an alternative to the native Audi satnav system) from you phone using Android Auto (or Apple Carplay?), but that requires the Audi Smartphone Interface.


I can assure you it cached "enough" to live with on a daily basis. Even if I was 100 km away from home I could still see the map well. It would go "blurred" it I tried to zoom in when far away from home, just that. I am still puzzled with the fact that the thing stopped working just because I tried a data connection with my phone, something I didn't do for many months because it was not needed...


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## Shortstock (Aug 26, 2020)

My google earth disappeared today on my TT 2017
Gutted only had the car 3 months and google earth was awesome.
Had no idea they were dropping it or any mention from the dealer.
Is there way of getting it back in South Wales area?


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## Shortstock (Aug 26, 2020)

My google earth disappeared today on my TT 2017
Gutted only had the car 3 months and google earth was awesome.
Had no idea they were dropping it or any mention from the dealer.
Is there way of getting it back in South Wales area?


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## DPG (Dec 7, 2005)

According to the MK 3 Facebook group there is an update to be released in the new year that addresses this issue

The overlays are replaced by one from a different provider


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