8.15 Map Improvements?

[canderson]

I've looked pretty carefully, and don't see this addressed (yet). For you 8.15 map users out there...

OK, so I know they added some whistles and bells to the map content for the roads we've already come to know and love (and lose) ... but does the 8.15 NA 2GB map provide any substantial improvement in terms of MAP quality? New subdivisions added? New service roads added? The street where I park my car every day for the last 5 years -- might one hope it was actually included???

Sure would be nice if they'd supply a web based "previewer" of their current map. It would allow one to decide if the change to a newer map base was really worth the investment. Or could one simply go to TeleAtlas and accomplish this? Do you suppose TT actually used the current TeleAtlas data for 8.15??? Or would that be hoping for far too much?

 

[Gilbert]

My biggest concern about new maps is that TT is very discrete about what is new to them. You may read it has 50,000 miles of new/updated roads but they seldom, if ever, reveal where those roads have been updated.

As for major or compelling updates to roads, it seems the next update will have a fair amount of major MapShare data updating in it. If I needed to pay for the new map, I would wait to hear about the next release. We may also have the surprise of a yearly map upgrade program that would make map upgrade more enticing than it presently is. I need to say this is a rumour but European customers now have such a plan and TT says it is evaluating the possibility to implement the same for NA customers. Will it come in early 2009 with the next map release? AFAIK, no one knows for sure but we can hope...

Then there is the aspect that v8.15 maps need NavCore v8.30 and many find it buggy (no fm driving instructions and stuttering voice to name the worst) to the point of wanting to retrograde. Maybe those problems will be ironed out by the time the new maps are offered.

 

[Arno]

Sure would be nice if they'd supply a web based "previewer" of their current map. It would allow one to decide if the change to a newer map base was really worth the investment.

I think that does exist in a way by now.
Open Google maps.

Note, this post was done just before Google switched from Navteq to Tele Atlas.

 

[canderson]

Thanks, all. Sounds like I ought to wait until after the first of the year to make any decisions. Part of this was, of course, motivated by the decision to keep or pitch the 8.3 "upgrade". I've got a perfectly good FM modulator that I can throw at that problem, and sooner or later TT is going to HAVE to address the "Stammering Susan" issue (reload of the firmware did NOT solve that in my case). Sounds as though I might as well back up to 8.010 for the time being and await better maps before moving to 8.whatever.

 

[Arno]

Thanks, all. Sounds like I ought to wait until after the first of the year to make any decisions. Part of this was, of course, motivated by the decision to keep or pitch the 8.3 "upgrade". I've got a perfectly good FM modulator that I can throw at that problem, and sooner or later TT is going to HAVE to address the "Stammering Susan" issue (reload of the firmware did NOT solve that in my case). Sounds as though I might as well back up to 8.010 for the time being and await better maps before moving to 8.whatever.

Have you had anyone with an 815 map check for the streets you are missing?
If not, and if you don't want to post locations in the forum, you are welcome to eMail me and I'll check it.

 

[canderson]

Have you had anyone with an 815 map check for the streets you are missing?
If not, and if you don't want to post locations in the forum, you are welcome to eMail me and I'll check it.

If Google Maps is now representative of the best TeleAtlas has to offer, the problems remain. As an example, there's a street that I've been using daily (well, "week"daily at any rate) for the last 6 years that is still missing. I reported it a year ago to both TT and TeleAtlas directly, and nothin doin.

 

[Arno]

If Google Maps is now representative of the best TeleAtlas has to offer, the problems remain. As an example, there's a street that I've been using daily (well, "week"daily at any rate) for the last 6 years that is still missing. I reported it a year ago to both TT and TeleAtlas directly, and nothin doin.

I guess if I were in your shoes I'd be pretty cheesed off too.
It just may be a case of not sufficient numbers of different reports (see graduation of MapShare gravity).
Have a look at this Navteq update experience.

 

[pianoCM]

Now, as you said, TeleAtlas hasn't covered your 6-year street, now it's the time to check out to see if NavTeq does cover it or not.
Use Yahoo Maps to do so.

If they both off, you are out of luck.

 

[canderson]

Nav covers my one missing street, but neither cover any of the other many changes I've requested over the last year.

As an example, the road into Erie, Colorado from the east (Leon Wurl) hasn't actually continued into the town as "Perry" for two years -- it now bypasses town. Both map sets still show that it does continue west.