New Maps Better Routes???

[Xaa]

Hi,

Newbie here.

Just got a 510 and I mostly like it. It's for my wife and I have factory installed nav in my car.

Some of the routes it's giving me are extremely flaky. Here's an example. I pick my kid up at daycare and I'm 3 miles from the onramp to the freeway to go home and about 4.5 miles to an onramp that is further north (I'm headed south). Each day it wants to route me to the onramp that is not only farther to get to, but then an additional 2.5 miles more in travel on THE SAME ROAD. I don't get why it would do that. I have it set for Fastest but there is no possible way it could compute it as faster to do that.

Second one is a route traveling from NC to Buffalo. EVERY map place (mapquest, google, my factory Nav, the Nav I had on my PDA) would take 77N>>19N>>79N and the rest of the way. TT wants me to take 77N all the way to 79N which essentially rounds a corner that 19N gets rid of. It's about 70 miles and an hour longer to go that way. I can at least in some way understand it, but not too much given that every other direction provider gets that right.

So my question after all that ranting is this. If I buy and download the most recent map version will it have more information that would result in better routes here or would I be spending my money to get new subdivisions and roads that didn't exist before.

Any thoughts, comments or advice are appreciated. I'm using a 510 with map version v650.1072 and software 7.162

 

[greal]

Hi,

So my question after all that ranting is this. If I buy and download the most recent map version will it have more information that would result in better routes.

Maybe. I know you were expecting a different answer, but this is the best one (outside TomTom) can say. Routing efficiency relies on two factors: a) the routing engine (i.e. the algorithm, which is proprietary to the manufacturer (TomTom, Garmin, Magellan, etc) and b) the correct values allocated to each and every road (these are the arguments the mathematical function - the routing engine - will evaluate).

It's a complex scenario, as you can see. Generally, Garmin devices are deemed to have a better routing engine -- but, again, this means nothing in itself - think of a balance which can be very accurate - but if its scale is not, then the capability of the balance is of little use.

I'd say, however, that the routing engine improves(*) with every update of the TT operating system (Navcore), while new map versions bring more/missing details (as arguments to be taken into account by the computing routing engine).

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(*) sometimes, the new version induces some weird quirks - as in the latest version abhorring left turns and wanting you to take turn-around routes. Oh, well... can't be helped.

 

[Xaa]

Thanks. Maybe was about as definitive as I could have expected. Thanks for the explanaition!

 

[oblivion]

I have TomTom One v2 which is about a year old. The US map I have is V660. The map coverage is acceptable for my use. I am also considering updating the map if it improves the routing. I am running latest version of app (7.162)

While mapping in suburbs I have noticed that it would often cut through smaller neighborhood roads before the turn.

In attached pic I would have expected it to continue further on SR42 and take a rt turn at [A]. If you consider speed limit on smaller roads and extra turns I do not believe the mapped route is the shortest.

If the new maps has more accurate speed limits than I would expect some improvement. Has anyone noticed improvement in routing with new maps ?

thanks

 

[flyer1024]

In some areas the maps are more detailed. Other areas see no change.

In my case the new maps have added some roads and added some missing sections of other roads I frequently use, so the routing is now better.

what might happen in your area is any one's guess.

from my personal experience, my earlier garmin routing was better simply because the roads are on the map. the tomtom cannot navigate on roads that are not there of course.