Map Acuracy

Aquanick · Posted: Sun Oct 31, 2004 9:46 pm Post subject: Map Acuracy

Hi

I am using a TomTom Go and have found that a few roads and streets are missing from the mapdata.

Iam using Great Britain map v314.......is this the latest version available....if not where do I download the latest map from?

Nick

Darren · Posted: Sun Oct 31, 2004 9:57 pm Post subject:

You have the latest available map data. It's a common misconception but you cannot simply download newer map data.

Updated maps have in the past tended to be made available with major software releases such as the upgrade from V2 to V3 of Navigator for the PocketPC and in every case is a chargeable upgrade.

It has yet to be seen how TomTom will manage map upgrades for PND devices such as GO but I wouldn't expect a release more than once per year and it will almost certainly be chargeable as the purchase of updated map data from the providers (TeleAtlas in the case of TomTom) is a is very costly.
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Darren Griffin

Zuke · Posted: Sun Oct 31, 2004 10:14 pm Post subject: Re: Map Acuracy

Aquanick · Posted: Sun Oct 31, 2004 10:55 pm Post subject:

Hi

Well thats just great.......I can name two major bypass roads near my house that are simply not in the mapdata at all.

I mean they only got constucted 12 monthes ago....so new roads I spose.... Laughing Out Loud

for £500 worth of kit it aint brilliant is it.

However....all you lot that moan about the TomTom Go....I have used much more expensive satnav systems and they all suffer the same problems as the TomTom Go.
Yea its got problems.....but on the whole it gets you to where you want to go.

Nick

Darren · Posted: Sun Oct 31, 2004 11:05 pm Post subject:

delboy0754 · Posted: Mon Nov 01, 2004 7:39 am Post subject:

Old_Phil · Posted: Mon Nov 01, 2004 9:00 am Post subject:

It may also be worth remembering that for an in car solution you have to pay for the annual update DVD.

In the case of my wife's Toyota full colour european sat nav system (which added £2K to the price of the car) the cost of the update DVD is £300+.

Mt GO maps are at least as up to date as hers, and I can buy a whole new GO for only 30% more than the cost of the annual map upgrade alone.

Needless to say, we haven't yet upgraded her maps!!!

I take the approach that the GO offers me a very good guide - but it's only a guide. I often ignore the instructions close to home when my local knowledge of traffic conditions, likely hold-ups suggest a faster/easier route to me. I do keep an eye on the map to make sure the instructions are sensible - for example in the centre of Manchester, if you are travelling towards Oldham the GO will route you left the wrong way down a one way street.

Common sense suggests you ignore this - a quick glance at the map suggests you go straight on and turn left 400 yards or so later. By the time you get close to this point the GO has re-routed and is giving correct and clear instructions.

Of course, when I check with my old Collins map, it does not show the road as one way either!

The big plus with the GO or other GPS systems is that if you do go wrong, or the GO provides a misleading or incorrect instruction, it will get you back on track quickly. In the past, without GO, this would have resulted in a) a heated argument with fellow passenger/navigator on who was wrong b) demands for corrective instructions which would usually arrive just after the relevant turn had gone by c) an emergency stop into a bus top or other less than safe place d) snatching of the map by the driver to ascertain where we are e) a U turn to retrace our steps to find the alleged place where we went wrong only to f) make a different by equally stupid mistake again and repeat the whole sorry saga again.

I'm prepared to put up with a very occasional blip in my route instructions as a price well worth paying for the elimination of all that grief!! Driving with a GO is so much more relaxing when you visit strange places. Indeed, I am making such a trip later today; 241 miles to Kilmarnock without the use of a safety net (paper map)!

rob-bob · Posted: Mon Nov 01, 2004 10:47 am Post subject: tomtom go

yes i agree that new roads take a while to be put onto software but the case that roads that have been there for years is not good enough....as for the paper a to z they did not cost £500 stupid argument...its like i said before if you had a car you just bought with aircon and it did not do its job from time to time YOU would not be pleased to be told to open the windows like you did before......the fact of the matter is that these maps are not very up to date not even 12 to 18 months old if there are roads that are 20 years old that have errors on them......and yes it is a good piece of kit but it is not their first after tomtom1 2 and 3 it should have been better....in london it can be a pain to use....ive been using it in rotherham for a few days and ....yes it gets me there but if you look at the route it took you to get there its terrible.....it needs a slider bar like the navman icn510 to select which roads you use....its not good to say it would send you down a one way street but if you look on the map you can see where its wants you to go....maybe tomtom will bring out a device that you put in your destination and it justs sticks an arrow on the screen pointing which way it is....after all its only a guide.....
Cheers
Rob

delboy0754 · Posted: Mon Nov 01, 2004 12:22 pm Post subject: Re: tomtom go

jdatkinson · Regular Visitor Joined: Oct 29, 2004 Posts: 63

I have v314 too. If there is a newer map available I would happily pay for an upgrade, if TomTom would care to provide it. I'd hope that eventually one would be able to download map updates in the same way that one downloads antivirus updates, probably for a subscription. Clearly, the current software does not allow for this, but it's one feature for the wish list.........

Aquanick · Posted: Mon Nov 01, 2004 8:14 pm Post subject:

Rob-Bob

Do us a favour and stop whining about the state of the maps......yea they aint 100% acurate........but I think I can safely say NO sat nav is or ever will be.

So my advice to you is this......if you dont like the way your unit behaves.......flog it.....and go back to paper maps, then you can decide which way you want to go etc.

As a LGV driver who travels all over the country, it just isnt practical for me to carry 2 tonnes of a-z maps round with me (which is about wot I used to carry pre tomtom go).

The TomTom Go gets me exactly where I want to go and usually by a pretty decent route.

If I sat down with the a-z pre journey I may be able to select a slightly faster route than wot the tom tom sugests, but when this might take me 10-15 minutes to plan a route across a large city is it worth the extra time of working it out yourself? TomTom may take me on a route 5 minutes longer, or even if it takes me on a route 15 minutes longer than wot I would have planned, I still havn't had the bother of working it out myself......and personaly speaking I would opt for the tomtom go every time. (mainly coz Iam a lazy slightly tubby trucker Smile

)

Sorry.......was I rambleing on a bit then peeps....ooopps

Nick

rob-bob · Posted: Mon Nov 01, 2004 10:07 pm Post subject: maps

delboy...
the road is and has always been the same....im sorry there is no excuse for the poor maps.........ill exept them being 12 to 18 month old but they are not even that good

nick
i agree tom tom is a good product with alot of problems....just take a look at the other posts on this forum and other forums.......
ask yourself why are people asking for map updates if they are ok.......
why should i have to flog it.......what is wrong with wanting maps that are at least 12 to 18 months out of date.......but we dont have this these maps are alot older than this in some cases.....maybe everyone should stop whining about the lack of a qwerty keyboard.....
i think you will find the start of this post was about map acuracy....started by you

delboy0754 · Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2004 8:06 am Post subject:

Robbob,

I'm starting to agree with Aquanick.

99.999999%of GPS users are putting up with these little errors, and are happy they don't have to carry bucket loads of A to Z maps. Do like others do,,, report it to the Correct dept.or sell it, if your not happy.

As others on here have said, their will NEVER be 100% accurate maps.

At least we've had a GOOD recommendation from a LGV driver who uses it, AND says it does do the job intended. After all, it's the Driver of the vehicle that has the final word, as HE/SHE can see the signs.

rob-bob · Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2004 6:41 pm Post subject: tomtom go

Delboy
yes ttgo is a good PRODUCT but my main complaint is that the map errors that i have on ttgo were correct on tt2 which is a year old at least.....if the maps are out of date by 12 to 18 months that is not a PROBLEM but the fact is that map errors that were correct on tt2 are now on ttgo should not happen....why do people keep going on about paper a to z has anyone ever said that they were a better option.....and if you go to expansy forum you will see a cab driver that said he nearly threw the thing out of the window.....
just glad to see that you think a £500 piece of kit that will take you down a one way street the wrong way as a little error let alone all of the other complaints you can read about on this and other forums....i cant complain that ttgo does not get you there but there is nothing wrong with wanting the latest maps if you are happy with the maps you have then fine but they are not the latest maps if thery are not as good as tt2
Cheers
Rob

Aquanick · Posted: Tue Nov 02, 2004 7:53 pm Post subject:

Errrr......TomTom or any other satnav product will NOT take you down a one way street.....YOU the driver still has the final word as to whether you go down the street or not does the unit grab the steering wheel and force you to go somwhere you shouldnt go? I think not.....and if you come to a street which is a no entry/no right turn or is blocked for some other reason.....dont go down the road.... Laughing Out Loud

Simply drive past it and Tim/Jayne/Bonnie or any other drivers mate you select will usually sort you out another route in a matter of seconds (has worked so far for me). I can just see it now "sorry officer, please don't put points on my licence and fine me, it wasnt my fault I went the wrong way on a one way street, it was that stupid bitch Jayne told me to do it, its her fault!"
Pre sat nav, most a-z's roadmaps etc didnt even show one-way streets.....so how many times if your honest have you planned a route with a paper map and then found for some reason you cant go that way? Wot did you used to do when this happened? curse to yourself, pull over and re-work your route all taking time......where as when this happens with a tomtom it works out a new route for you......thats gotta be better hasnt it.
This problem is 10 times as bad for any driver of a large vehicle due to weight limits, low bridges, lorry bans, dumb car drivers parking in dumb places, corners which are too sharp for the vehicle to turn etc etc.....none of which are marked on either tomtom or any a-z.
When I first started this thread all I was basically saying was that the maps aint 100% acurate, which is still true.....but they are perfectly usable, it would just be nice to have 100% acurate maps so I was asking if it was possible to download or pay for an upgrade.
I used to find that with a-z's they were never 100% acurate either, as soon as it's printed its out of date it seems.

Anyway....think I have said enough.....happy motoring peeps!

Nick Rolling Eyes

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