Tomtom feature. Does anyone......

[CynicX]

think this is worthwhile to suggest to the mapshare feature.

Here is my idea. I use my GPS nearly constantly on a daily basis going from 5-10 places I've never been before everyday. While directions and routing generally always gets me there RARELY is the destination house address located on the street where the tomtom points it too be...

I think it would be somewhat of a worthwhile feature to simply have a button you press that tells mapshare where the actual house address is in comparison to where it was predicted to me. Does that make any sense.

Although its not usually a big deal to drive a few hundred yards sometimes its a major hassle esp if its a one way street in a crowded city and you pass your destination. Also depending on how long the road is sometimes your entire route can change if the GPS device thinks the address is at the opposite end of the road it actually is...

Just a thought. If you guys think this is a good idea is there a "suggestion department" or am I just wasting my breath....?

 

[NorFowl]

think this is worthwhile to suggest to the mapshare feature.

I think it would be somewhat of a worthwhile feature to simply have a button you press that tells mapshare where the actual house address is in comparison to where it was predicted to me.

Seems like a slam-dunk good idea on the surface: The whole point of MapShare is to have us millions out there discovering The Truth about reality on the ground.

That being said, MapShare can be mightly slow to "verify" stuff they distribute, even relatively easy stuff like new streets, etc. Correcting house numbers sounds fairly overwhelming, but hey, if they want accuracy, that's the way to get it.

I used to send that kind of info to TT, and they always just pointed me to the Existing Streets section. For a permanent spot I need to mark, OK. But in your case I wouldn't think you could stand doing it for every error.

I'd suggest sticking it into the wishlist that MVL's compiling. The map-creator accuracy geeks oughta love it!

 

[dhn]

Understand this, though. The mapping is such that it estimates the location of an address by taking a range of numbers of addresses and extrapolating where a specific number would be placed.

For example, in a length of 1000 feet, it might have a range of 10 numbers. If it calculates that each frontage is 100 feet, then it would place house number 4, say, 400 feet along the 1000 foot length. Which is fine is everything worked out perfectly, space wise. Which rarely happens. And that is why some addresses seem spot on, some are off. (My house is always placed 8 houses away from the actual position).

Now, if the map had to maintain precise locations for every address, think of how much additional information would be required on the map. It's tough enough now to squeeze the NA map under 2 gigs with the info that is there. To require precise locations to be stored, well, would be impossible if the map is to be kept to a reasonable size.

 

[NorFowl]

Aha! See CynicX?... I carefully worded my response with "...on the surface." I just knew there was a catch!
nhl's response also confirmed my suspicion that there could be too much information to be handled.
However, if you look at Google Maps's "Street View" you will see photos of individual dwellings when/were they exist (as far as I have checked so far), so I was thinking "that detail is out there somewhere." IF that's true, then the memory limitation could be overcome by on-demand downloading by address from where-ever-on-earth Google, et.al. keep their data.
But... long shot!

 

[mvl]

It would seem reasonable to be able to edit the street number endpoints for a given segment in mapshare. If you click on a road segment in browse mode, you can see the number endpoints stored in the map in black/blue. I added a vote for "change address numbers in mapshare" to the new features thread a few days ago. Go ahead and post/vote for it if you want.

I'm a bit overdue for a re-tabulation, but I've been focusing much of my time testing LIVE traffic and 8.350 lately. I'll get to it soon.

A far as google street view, it uses the same map and approximation logic as Tomtom. If Tomtom's address puts you in the wrong place, then street view show a picture of that same incorrect place.

 

[CynicX]

Oddly enough my girlfriends Garmin seems a bit more accurate. Not ALL the time but probably 50% of the time its house numbers line up vs 25% of the time with my Tomtom. Any idea what kind of system they use? I know it has to be different because it nails my house dead on, but my Tomtom puts me on the wrong side of the street 100 yards away...

 

[mvl]

I'm sure both GPSs use endpoint averaging algorithms.

I suspect Navteq (Garmin) has better endpoints in your areas then Teleatlas (Tomtom) does.

Just compare addresses online with Yahoo maps (Navteq) vs Google maps (Tomtom).

 

[CynicX]

I'm sure both GPSs use endpoint averaging algorithms.

I suspect Navteq (Garmin) has better endpoints in your areas then Teleatlas (Tomtom) does.

Just compare addresses online with Yahoo maps (Navteq) vs Google maps (Tomtom).

Its hit or miss it seems. Navteq seems more accurate for old stuff but somewhat out of date. While Tele Atlas has a lot of newer roads and neighborhoods that Tomtom does not.

Do you guys think Tele Atlas is making a come back from its bad rep?

There was a time I wanted a Garmin. But I've grown to like my Tomtom so much better (the device and features) that I'll most definitely get another one when the times comes.

If only there was a "search all cities in state" option and the neat little features Garmin has (max speed, total drive distance etc). Oh well...

What do you guys think about Tele Atlas vs Navteq now that you all have bust my idea bubble!

 

[YouthInAsia]

If only there was a "search all cities in state" option

That would be nice, huh?!?

neat little features Garmin has (max speed, total drive distance etc)

Tripmaster is your friend... Its one of the reasons I purchased a TomTom; it gives you these numbers and MUCH more. Check it out