Map 'upgrade'

[mikemilton]

So O order my map 'upgrade'
- I expected that my road might be named - it was removed altogether.
- I expected that there would be more roads in my area - they were mostly removed
- I expected that there would be more geographic features - most are now gone
- I expected that some road errors would be fixed - there are more (ie: I now find myself tracked as off road on roads that were previously working)
- I expected that more construction would be reflected - roads that were new, and on the 'old' map are now reverted to pre-construction status.

So I sent this into TT and got the following response (quick, but did they actually READ my problem?):

Response (STCR Pablo) 02/13/2007 02:55 PM
Greetings Mike,

Thank you for contacting our Support department. We appreciate your recent inquire expressing your interest about map updates in your navigator unit.

It?s my pleasure informing you that the maps included with your device are the most current that we have available at this time; nevertheless you could always obtain updates for free on your map as soon as they are available (please keep in mind that our newest map version is No 6.65). Just verify if the map you purchased is eligible for map updates in the following link: http://www.tomtom.com/products/maps/select.php .

At this point, if your street is not appearing, I would recommend you to report map feedback in our website; this because in order to obtain the correct map data, TomTom and our map supplier ?TeleAtlas- rely on local government and other local organizations across the whole of US to supply us with the correct, relevant and most up to date information about millions of roads, streets, highways, lanes, etc., as you can appreciate this is a very time consuming process.

On top of this, errors that TomTom customers submit via our website are passed on to our digital map supplier, TeleAtlas, who will then check these individual errors. This does mean that in many cases, somebody has to go out and physically visit the location, this is not only very time consuming but also brings many logistical challenges.

Hereby, may we ask that you please take into consideration, in rapidly growing market; we at TomTom are constantly striving to provide our customers with the best possible information available and in doing so maintaining our already high standards. You can report map errors/omissions now on our website.

Please go to the HOME Tab at the top of the webpage http://www.tomtom.com. Choose USA English. Log into MY ACCOUNT on our website. Go into the SUPPORT Tab at the top of this page. Once you have done this on the right of the page click ?report map feedback?. If you do not have a TomTom account, please choose ?create an account? on the HOME page of www.tomtom.com.

Thanks for choosing TomTom as your portable navigation system, & don't hesitate to contact us for further assistance via e-mail or please call us at 1-866-486-6866 (Monday through Friday, 8:30 to 7 EST).

Kind Regards,

At this point I'm likely to go back to Garmin (the maps on my *very* old StreetPilot are much better than either TTs new or old maps).

 

[hitophikers]

NA vs USA & Canada Maps

When I received my free map update last month for my GO510, I installed the USA & Canada Maps. The terrain detail was OK, but somewhat inaccurate as far as lakes and rivers went. City bounderies are decades out of date, but for the most part, the rural roads and streets were pretty accurate.

I purchased a larger SD card and installed the NA maps instead. This had a lot more detail, but for some reason, many cross streets in rural areas are now in the wrong place, sometimes off by as much as a quarter of a mile. This was not the case in the USA & Canada maps. Are these not created from the same source? Also, city bouneries are also way out of date.

Both maps have a major Interstate interchange that was added and one that was completely redesigned, both within the past year. A US highway overpass was built in the downtown area about 20 years ago. The maps show the new route, but a couple of intersecting streets still connect. It's kinda hard since there are no ramps to the overpass. But one re-routed street that hugs the railroad and goes under the overpass is correct, the others just dead end at the overpass. My next move is to catch SD card's on sale again at Staples. Then I'll install regional maps and see how they pan out.

Previously, my PND was Palm based with a NavMan adapter. The software was Mapopolis from 2004 and seemed to be more accurate, but I would occasionally find myself "driving" through a field instead of the highway. Of course, the GO is much more user friendsly since the Palm setup was based on almost 10 year old technology.

I've read in many posts that the TeleAtlas maps are not the greatest, but I'm sure TomTom chose them because of price. Has anybody tried maps from other services on the TomTom GO devices?

A side note: Since TomTom is UK based, I'll bet that the UK maps are much more accurate and updated much more frequently. I'll check that on my next trip to London.

 

[lec510]

>> A side note: Since TomTom is UK based,

I thought TomTom was a Dutch company ??!

 

[nyca]

so what is the consensus here, are the NA maps better, or is it better to stick with USA/Canada?

 

[battom]

Preference is the key i think. There is no 'better' data on one vs the other. it just gives you more area w/o having to switch maps.

I did the upgrade to a 2GB card (4GB coming) so I could load the NA maps, and for where I've gone so far I don't see any changes between the 2.

 

[mikemilton]

Well, I just loaded the USA and Canada maps (in addition to the North America maps) to my TT HD. Switching back and forth I can see no difference.

The point of my original post is that the most recent maps are a significant DOWNGRADE to the information that was on the 'older' maps. There is less information, it is more out of date and it is less accurate. This is true not just in my immediate area but for all areas I have driven to since the 'upgrade'.

This is NOT a matter of 'we are working hard to make improvements' it is a matter of we-screwed-up-and-the-map-is-worse.

 

[mikemilton]

So, if anyone else has the same problem....

The TTHome restore seems to not be selective so, outside of TTHome, I copied the old NorthAmerica maps back to the TT hard drive... I'm at least back to where I was before the 'upgrade'.

I had asked support if this would work - they did not answer that question. Instead they said I should write to the TT headquarters to explain my problem

The address is:
TomTom International BV
Customer Support Department: Customer Relations
Rembrandtplein 35
1017 CT Amsterdam
The Netherlands

if anyone else wants it

 

[fanchee]

Hi Mike,

I'm sorry to hear this! Just out of curiousity, what is your area? The maps seem better in my area, I'm in the DFW area. This is disappointing news, nonetheless, as it should have been better for ALL areas, not worse!

 

[battom]

Maybe.... that's why all these maps have been 'free'?

I'm tempted to add my old maps back on and see if I see any difference too. I was new to TT and only had the old maps for about a month?

Worth looking into... especailly anyone who TRAVELS alot for their (training) work!!

 

[mikemilton]

My area is southern Ontario.... I'm now running with both mapsets installed and have moved the new POI's to the old maps folder (presumably *they* are better - the files are bigger anyway).

This has let me browse the two mapsets and, so far, I have not found any improvements.

I'm genuinely happy that others are gaining something.

 

[mikecwest]

I have noticed that many exits from highway tomtom will now tell me EXIT 8A ahead, when it would previously state EXIT 605 NORTHBOUND....

These exit "numbers" sound just great, however, as anyone in California will tell you the exit numbering on our highways can not be described in any language allowed on this board. We use the exit NAME...


The alley where I park my car used to show as ALLEY... now it is UN-NAMED ROAD....

I recently utilized TomTom in San Diego in the "city heights" area near University & 40th....the accuracy or the lack of, was disturbing and disappointing at best. I actually had to pull out my laptop MapPoint for directions for the first time in 8 months...

 

[Nextourer]

My area is southern Ontario.... I'm now running with both mapsets installed and have moved the new POI's to the old maps folder (presumably *they* are better - the files are bigger anyway).

This has let me browse the two mapsets and, so far, I have not found any improvements.

I'm genuinely happy that others are gaining something.

I don't know about you but I just realised TomTom deleted all the Tim Horton's in my area!!! The closest one is 3,800kms away and it never finishes loading b/c suntime will reset the search lol.

If I do a city search, it says "No POIs Found!"

Great... we're not important. Thanks.

So I don't know if copying the POIs from the new maps is a good thing or not. It might be for the US since now there's "Company" under POI but really if you do a search, it's just auto clubs and towing companies.

 

[battom]

Everyone keeps saying/thinking the older maps are 'better' cuz they are 'bigger'... the file may be bigger but that alone can't mean it's better! Perhaps the new database build was compressed? Maybe the old one has gaps in the DB... like a hard drive being fragged all over. The reported size would be bigger than the actual used space.

Bigger does NOT necessarily mean better!!!

 

[Nextourer]

Everyone keeps saying/thinking the older maps are 'better' cuz they are 'bigger'... the file may be bigger but that alone can't mean it's better! Perhaps the new database build was compressed? Maybe the old one has gaps in the DB... like a hard drive being fragged all over. The reported size would be bigger than the actual used space.

Bigger does NOT necessarily mean better!!!

I realise. But it's kinda obvious when your TT can't find the local Tim Horton's! I wonder what else was removed in order to compress the file.

I think TT might have rushed this new update. I'll play around it even more but I can probably guess that whatever was removed is from Canada and Alaska and whatever's added is in the 48 contiguous states. (Heck, even Guam is smaller!)

 

[nyca]

two quick observations here on the new maps.

- a friends house that was shown incorrectly between two cross streets on the old maps, is correct on the new maps.
- my work location, the old maps used to show the access road to the office park, the new maps show no road there at all.

I wonder how the update process works - so let's say I file this issue with TeleAtlas - do they take my word for it? Or do they have to investigate the claim first? Can you imagine what this process is like for them, going through and substantiating each error and adding it to their maps.

 

[battom]

Or do they have to investigate the claim first? Can you imagine what this process is like for them, going through and substantiating each error and adding it to their maps.

They have to verfiy... if they don't, how reputable would that be?

 

[nyca]

I guess what I should have said - do they have to send one of their mobile vans there, or can they use other sources (other maps, google maps, etc) to verify and make corrections?