Motoring Discussion > Satnav updates Miscellaneous
Thread Author: Crankcase Replies: 24

 Satnav updates - Crankcase
Jump to the last paragraph for the actual question...

I normally use TomTom on the iPhone. I also have Waze, and of course Google maps.

We are near lots of new road building. Just a couple of days ago, a big new section of road opened. As part of that, Tomtom now "knows" the old road is closed (actually it's been dug up), but doesn't know about the new section.

Tomtom therefore thinks I can't get to my own house from anywhere other than round Bill's mother's, which is a huge detour. It also means it won't show me a route using the new section, so I can't see the traffic there. Basically it reckons I can't now get onto the M11 or A14 at all without going a thousand miles.

Waze "knows" about the new road already (but I hate Waze.)

Google maps also doesn't know about the new section at all.

So I guess I have to use Waze for the time being if I want updating traffic.

I THINK TomTo will update the IOS app maps in about three months, but not certain as it's basically abandonware now.

So my question is - hw often does Google update their map? A little internet trawling seems to imply some years! Really?


 Satnav updates - Duncan
>> Waze "knows" about the new road already (but I hate Waze.)


Why do you have this aversion to Waze?
 Satnav updates - jc2
If you know the road,why use Tomtom in the first place?I only use my Garmin to get to places I don't know,then usually only turn it on for the last few miles.
 Satnav updates - Crankcase
Aversion to Waze - its routing is too aggressive. It will take you down a residential road with cars parked on both sides, a little alleyway where builders vans are parked across the road nine times out of ten and twice round the duckpond if it thinks you will "save" half a second. In town it's a constant barrage of right, left, back, left again then fourth exit at the roundabout...where actually if you stick to the ring road you get there much more easily, as both TomTom and Google maps do.

As to using the satnav when you know where are going, obviously everyone does that to see what the traffic is like on your route, surely. I don't want to get a mile from home and into a stonker of a jam if I could have taken the five mile longer but four hours quicker route in the first place.

Maybe that's just Cambridge traffic unpredictability, but I'd have thought all major towns have the same issue.
Last edited by: Crankcase on Wed 19 Jun 19 at 11:34
 Satnav updates - No FM2R
Perhaps you have Waze set to shortest route? Because that really does come up with some crap routes.

I don't use Waze because of the impact it has on a phone battery. Perhaps it's better now but it used to be awful.
 Satnav updates - Crankcase
Thanks, but no, set to fastest. Battery life isn't usually an issue as the phone is permanently plugged into the car USB socket and charging when travelling.
 Satnav updates - Duncan
>> Aversion to Waze - its routing is too aggressive. It will take you down a
>> residential road with cars parked on both sides, a little alleyway where builders vans are
>> parked across the road nine times out of ten and twice round the duckpond if
>> it thinks you will "save" half a second. In town it's a constant barrage of
>> right, left, back, left again then fourth exit at the roundabout...where actually if you stick
>> to the ring road you get there much more easily, as both TomTom and Google
>> maps do.

The built in Satnav in the MB (Comand) is equally aggressive. Many times when chugging round the M25 between J14/15 and J10, it has wanted me to come off at J13, or J12 to save a minute! I normally ignore it, unless it is showing red cars on the map (yellow cars means slow moving traffic, and red cars means stationary, or very slow moving traffic, apart from the verbal warnings given).
 Satnav updates - Zero
Google owns Waze, so if Waze is updated so is Google maps,

Google knows almost right away, as it tracks every
Google maps in use, and will see all these cars
Driving over a green field

Google maps is as up to date as anything can ever be
 Satnav updates - Crankcase
Ah, now then. Yesterday, Waze knew about the new road. Google maps on my phone didn't.

Today, Waze still knows about the new road, Google maps on the web now does, Google maps on the phone doesn't...


 Satnav updates - Manatee
Are you using offline maps on your phone, as I do? They only update monthly unless forced.
 Satnav updates - Crankcase
No offline maps, no.

Here's the new junction where the B1050 joins the A14 on the web. My Google maps on IOS doesn't show this, only the old layout. Anyone else care to look on their phone?



www.google.com/maps/@52.2564653,0.0308656,15z

Oh, and for fun here's the old layout, as TomTom is still showing it on their "live" map.

mydrive.tomtom.com/en_gb/#mode=viewport+viewport=52.27345,-0.00953,14.61,0,-0+ver=3
Last edited by: Crankcase on Wed 19 Jun 19 at 12:06
 Satnav updates - Manatee
Your TomTom link is to J28, not J29 Bar Hill. My phone shows the new bit of road, with a stump of the old one. I have the UK on offline maps so I'm updating them to see what happens, if anything.
 Satnav updates - Crankcase
Mmm, good point. For the terminally bored, here's the TomTom link.

mydrive.tomtom.com/en_gb/#mode=viewport+viewport=52.25569,0.03262,14.37,0,-0+ver=3

 Satnav updates - Manatee
I have the UK on
>> offline maps so I'm updating them to see what happens, if anything.
>>

No change.
 Satnav updates - Bobby
In my Civic I just used google maps - phone is on one of these magnetic vent holders which are actually really good.

However have just treated myself to a 2 1/2 year old BMW X1 that has sat nav built in - but doesn't have the stretch of M8 near me that has been open for around 2 years........

Although the car is four wheel drive the sat nav doesn't like it when it thinks I am going through a field......

I will enquire to see how much an update is from BMW - I remember my Hyundai updates were something like £139 a time and I refused to pay that!
 Satnav updates - Pezzer
Are you able to sync your phone to the Car and use the built in display ? I thought i had read of this capability for both IOS and Android (Auto)
 Satnav updates - Zero
>> Are you able to sync your phone to the Car and use the built in
>> display ? I thought i had read of this capability for both IOS and Android
>> (Auto)

BMW does not support android auto.
 Satnav updates - Zero

>> I will enquire to see how much an update is from BMW - I remember
>> my Hyundai updates were something like £139 a time and I refused to pay that!

There is a web site, you dowload an app to your pc, stick the vin number in, then download the latest map to USB stick, then stuff it in your car. I think its free for the first three years.
 Satnav updates - Bobby
Interesting zero but can’t seem to find it ?
Any idea what it’s called?
 Satnav updates - Bobby
This one seems to be £99??
www.bmw-connecteddrive.co.uk/app/index.html?gclid=EAIaIQobChMIvsuEuJj24gIVqr3tCh1BNAwjEAAYASAAEgIhVfD_BwE#/portal/store
 Satnav updates - smokie
Easily found Bobby...

www.bmw.co.uk/help/technology/update-pro-media-system
 Satnav updates - Bobby
Cheers Smokie, had just found it !!
If you pardon the pun, I have now navigated the site and have a 14gb map update downloading!

Really impressed with the BMW information via connected drive!
 Satnav updates - Netsur
Waze always seems to have the fastest updates of road layout.

I like it, but sometimes you need to check the route it is giving you and look at the alternatives, as the difference can be no more than one minute but the new route is much easier and on wider/faster roads.
 Satnav updates - Bobby
Cheers guys for heads up on the BMW sat nav, maps downloaded last night - all 15GB of them and updated into the car this morning.

I am no longer driving through fields........
 Satnav updates - Zero
edition.cnn.com/2019/06/26/us/google-maps-detour-colorado-trnd/index.html
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