Any carts with GPS display of paths?
 

I should be moving into the villages shortly. My phone has the villages app. with GPS cart paths and car directions. Are there any brands. that support the villages act on the display? I would like to use something larger than my phone. if possible.

I would think that one could mount a small tablet in the dash. You’d need a tablet with cellular service, of course. Not a bad idea! The tablet might be a target for pilferage, however.

You don’t need it. It will take you a month until you won’t need your GPS for 95% of your trips.
Certainly don’t pay to get a GPS installed in your cart.

Get this, puts the phone on your steering wheel, and doesn’t disrupt golf scoring.

Amazon.com

I found the same thing on Temu for under $8.50

I bought a 1/2 dozen of them and gave them to my golfing buddies...

How do I become a golfing buddy?

OP the GPS app has audio directions in addition to the map and visual guide. If you don't have hearing aids, or have them but can't pair them with your phone via bluetooth, then get a bluetooth earbud and pair it with the phone. That way you get the directions TOLD to you, directly into your ear while you're driving. It means less worry about noise from your golf cart or someone else's golf cart while you're trying to pay attention to both directions and the road.

There are 2 Villages apps, one free one paid subscription. Since these are PHONE apps you will need to ask each of the developers if they support anything other than phones. There appear to be some tablets that connect via the telephone system, so you may get lucky and the apps will work on these.

The newest Evolution golf carts - the D5 Plus - now offers both Apple Carplay and Android Auto on the automotive style display. This would allow you to show your GPS from your phone on the built in display just like you do in your car. The D5 Ranger is a forward facing 4 seat model and is $9,595, and they also have a D5 Ranger 2+2 at $8,695.

Same features with the Venom carts from AdventureEV. Huge screen that can easily be seen in daylight, AND when wearing polarized sunglasses.

I don’t believe The Villages GPS app supports CarPlay if you wanted to use that app, which is pretty good.

Apple car play uses apple maps, or waze, or google maps. I use google maps. How does that work for a golf cart? If you put google maps in the bicycle mode instead of the default car mode, google maps will use the golf cart lanes 90% of the time. In my 7 years experience it is much better that the "viliages" version. I also agree once you've driven your golf cart for a few months the need for gps guidenance is very low. As an aside - while you are new - as you drive in your golf cart on the golf cart trails and you find you can't get your cart to your destination without going on a main road (eg no golf cart markings) or the need to drive into one of the roundabouts - DON'T you are asking to be hit by a car/truck.

Look the other way when I use my "foot wedge"... :icon_wink:

This is misinformation, the Villages app does not support Apple Carplay or Android Auto.

The Villages GPS Apps are not CarPlay compatible thus can not be used on Evolution Plus models. Other GPS like Apple Maps, Google Maps and Waze can be but do not have the cart paths.

Happened to see that being sold at Costco on several versions of golf carts they were selling. The tablet screens were built in so theft is not an issue (except that the entire golf cart can still be stolen, just like any other). The only option not pre-installed on their carts was the side rain protection covers. Their two seaters were selling for roughly $7,000. Not sure how much after market rain protection would add to the cost.

I know that Waze and Google Maps can show bicycle paths, and in TV those are the MMP for carts.

So there are several ways to use AA or CP to view maps with your actual position indicated.

Google Maps is what we use.

I don't remember the last time I looked at the Villages apps for directions. Using Google Maps in bicycle mode and being cautious not to enter a traffic circle has been all we've needed for the last two years at least.

How is this misinformation? Did I mention the Villages app? I simply stated that it supported Apple Carplay and Android Auto, and that you could display GPS apps on the screen. All of which is 100% true. You can use Google Maps and set it to bicycle mode. There are another half dozen GPS apps that can be used on it. And yes, there are also apps that don't support Carplay or AA, but that doesn't make the initial comment misinformation.

use your phone as the hot spot, sync to pad for pad connection

Hearing aids
 

My directions from the villages app come through my hearing aids and it’s a lot better than watching or listening to your phone

Just use your phone hotspot to provide internet for the tablet.

& Google Maps will put you on 466a.

:22yikes:

I would like to try that. What are the endpoints for a route that will put you on 466A? (I just tried Square 1 to Walmart Neighborhood Market and Google Maps does not put me on 466A for that)

Please note that I also mentioned not entering a traffic circle. That should prevent venturing onto Buena Vista or Morse and keep you off 466A.

Sure, asking it for directions to a location that is not golf cart accessible will put you in a bad place. Don't do that.

There is a prior thread discussing this.

Here is one example:

Circle K on 466a to Lake Sumter Landing

Circle K, 2465 Burnsed Blvd, The Villages, FL 32163
Lake Sumter Landing, 1000 Lake Sumter Landing, The Villages, FL 32162

Cup holder phone mount with Bluetooth speaker or earphones
 

I use a tall phone holder that locks in your cup holder. I can view the map while driving and Play music, take calls, etc.

Okay, fair enough. The cart driver would need to be aware of some golf cart laws, use some common sense, and react accordingly.

In this particular case, if he left Circle K and headed back down Pinellas the way he came in, Google Maps would soon recalculate and keep him on Pinellas until he picked up the MMP at Buena Vista.

I personally never bought any additional maps or apps or other quizmos. Maps on my Samsung phone have always shown the MMP's. I first learned my way around the villages going to yard and garage sales when we first moved here.

Be aware that many people report the audio portion stops soon after your trip begins. The video portion- a line showing where you are/going allows you to still navigate visually.

Recommending people navigate their golf carts in bicycle mode is even worse. It could easily land someone in county jail when they start following directions to cross state roads like 466.

Crossing any road with a speed limit greater than 30mph is not legal in a golf cart. However, either that does not happen frequently, it is rarely caught, or for some reason it is rarely reported:
- When was the last time there was a report of someone getting jailed for crossing 466?
- When was the last time there was a report of someone getting ticketed for crossing 466?

Which Google Maps routes in bicycle mode have bicycles crossing 466 without using a MMP?

With everything in life you have to be aware of local laws and use a little bit of common sense. If in doubt, remember you are on a golf cart and don't pass the signs that way "No Carts Beyond This Point." Keeping that in mind, using Google Maps in bicycle mode is very effective.

I use this...

https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71DszOZiFDL.jpg

You can find it on Amazon or Temu (the cheaper potion...)

Thanks I just ordered one, Temu is almost a third of the price of Amazon.

Those apps will keep you the MMP’s 90% of the time. But several areas they direct you onto main roads where bikes are allowed but golf carts are not.. Ask me how I know.

Try Fenney Rec Center to Sawgrass Grove. Google routes you onto Warm Sptings Road and Meggison Road.

But you can’t get to Warm Springs without going past a “No Carts Beyond This Point” sign or through a traffic circle. If you avoid those then Google will eventually recalculate to a better route.

But that area is difficult anyway. The golf cart route takes you way up to the Water Lilly bridge or down to the Bexley bridge which are both fr out of the way.

Cases like this, where the golf cart paths are greatly separated from routes legal for bicycles, are going to be a problem. Obeying the signs, avoiding circles, and using common sense while waiting for Google to recalculate will work but sure, inexperienced drivers will have problems.

The point was that Google Maps does not always follow the cart routes in bike mode. The Villages apps do.

Isn’t a good example of this Warm Springs Ave over the turnpike?
A bike route would be to ride over the bridge, but a golf cart isn’t allowed.

As previously mentioned the villages app does not support apple carplay / android auto, but there are display screens that can do screen mirroring. So you would just start navigation on your phone, mirror your phone to the screen and "it should" show your navigation screen on the display. Amazon has a few, but you need to make sure they are waterproof, semi rugged and support screen mirroring. Search Amazon for "motorcycle display screen" and find one that does the mirroring. I have been meaning to try doing this, but I seem to managing ok with my phone.

To be fair, those signs are neither MUTCD or DOT complaint, so they are essentially the equivalent as a strongly worded suggestion.

Add Bluetooth speakers to your golf cart. The Villages app will give audio directions through bluetooth. You can also play Pandora or Spotify through them. Unlike hearing aids, which you might not have, your seat mate can also enjoy or listen.

You won't need to visualize the map, really. But you can get a cup mount holder to mount your phone. If necessary to look closely, just pull off the path, stop and look more closely, then continue. Or your seat mate can do so without your needing to stop.