Android crew, are you using waze or Google maps for navigation?

I have an Android head unit. One of the worse tech products I've ever bought.
The connectivity is an absolute joke. WiFi connection to the phone is very hit and (mostly) miss.
Using CarPlay is a bit better, 70% successfuly connections, but the audio for phone calls is just so random it's unusable.

When it's connected and working, I found Google Maps to be more reliable and stable over Waze. Waze tended to be a bit intrusive with unwanted alerts and other crap (something you really don't ******* need when driving a car, but the core traffic routing was pretty good.
 
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tsobo said:
Is that a still a thing . I remember this used to cost a lot and so much messing around was needed with getting maps etc. Surely Google maps and waze are free and more convenient?
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Yes it's still a thing. Map updates are as simple as clicking the update button once when prompted a new one is available, which is simpler than caching an offline Google map. I tend to use the builtin satnav in my Mini most of the time. But when I'm in another vehicle I go back to Copilot. For me it's free having bought it for £9.99 in the 2000's (apart from the optional traffic updates), has better lane suggestions approaching junctions, routing options for different types of vehicle, preferences for type of road, advice on the current speed limit, speed camera warnings and a semi customisable look and feel. I doubt I would buy it nowadays because of the free options. But I do find it better for many situations.
 
Has Waze implemented lane guidance yet? Haven't used it in years, but that was one feature Waze was seriously lacking. Even though Google maps gets it wrong more often than it should.
 
Semple said:
Has Waze implemented lane guidance yet? Haven't used it in years, but that was one feature Waze was seriously lacking. Even though Google maps gets it wrong more often than it should.
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You may laugh but after all these years of Google Maps navigation I only saw this feature about a month ago :)
"Oh it tells you what lane to get in".
 
I flip between the two depending on the situation/drive.

Waze still can't do multiple stops which is a shame.
 
I generally stick to Google maps these days as it's got better font rendering on my inbuilt screen and it hooks into my heads up display with directions, Waze looks blurry especially the fonts and doesn't hook into the heads up display (first world problem I know)
 
Semple said:
Has Waze implemented lane guidance yet? Haven't used it in years, but that was one feature Waze was seriously lacking. Even though Google maps gets it wrong more often than it should.
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Why do you need lane guidance? Your sat nav says you need to come off junction 27 on the M25 to get on the M11. That is all you should need as your eyes will do the rest. It is all there painted on the road in front of you and on signs at the side.
 
Never been approaching a complex, busy junction and had a doubt about your lane position? I know I have, and it's nice to have the sign being shown permanently on your screen, well in advance, with the lane you need highlighted. Doesn't mean I'm not looking at physical signs and markings, but they might not be immediately visible for a quick double check, and by the time they are, you might have lost the opportunity to switch lanes safely. Of course no one needs it, but taking that to it's logical conclusion, then no one really needs a sat nav at all - it's just a handy tool.

I'd go as far as to say that lane guidance is probably the most useful aspect of any sat nav system - usually, I know the general route I'm taking so the only time I'll actually look at it is when approaching a junction or interchange I don't know. - it's nice to have what is essentially just the junction signage repeated and on permanent display in the car. Also handy when driving abroad where signage or markings aren't as clear and you might be less familiar with destinations or major route designations, or traffic is a bit more hectic and a lot of your concentration is on making sure some impatient local doesn't take your side out (**** you, Peripherique).
 
Conscript said:
Never been approaching a complex, busy junction and had a doubt about your lane position? I know I have, and it's nice to have the sign being shown permanently on your screen, well in advance, with the lane you need highlighted. Doesn't mean I'm not looking at physical signs and markings, but they might not be immediately visible for a quick double check, and by the time they are, you might have lost the opportunity to switch lanes safely. Of course no one needs it, but taking that to it's logical conclusion, then no one really needs a sat nav at all - it's just a handy tool.

I'd go as far as to say that lane guidance is probably the most useful aspect of any sat nav system - usually, I know the general route I'm taking so the only time I'll actually look at it is when approaching a junction or interchange I don't know. - it's nice to have what is essentially just the junction signage repeated and on permanent display in the car. Also handy when driving abroad where signage or markings aren't as clear and you might be less familiar with destinations or major route designations, or traffic is a bit more hectic and a lot of your concentration is on making sure some impatient local doesn't take your side out (**** you, Peripherique).
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I see your point. Is this feature on by default, Google maps?
 
Semple said:
Has Waze implemented lane guidance yet? Haven't used it in years, but that was one feature Waze was seriously lacking. Even though Google maps gets it wrong more often than it should.
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tsobo said:
I'm interested to know as well...
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Yes. But I find it hit and miss.

Sometimes, particularly leaving motorways it'll wait till your half way up the slip before telling you.
 
The accuracy of the navigation is much better in google maps than Waze in my experience. Which is funny considering it's the same owner as fare as I know. That said I like Waze's features more including the speed limit for road I'm on which is very handy where I live as the signs are often altered and the police don't give 2 hoots about it, its ticket time either way. I just wish that the AmiGO app was a bit better cause I like how it notifies you of turns.
 
Conscript said:
Never been approaching a complex, busy junction and had a doubt about your lane position? I know I have, and it's nice to have the sign being shown permanently on your screen, well in advance, with the lane you need highlighted. Doesn't mean I'm not looking at physical signs and markings, but they might not be immediately visible for a quick double check, and by the time they are, you might have lost the opportunity to switch lanes safely. Of course no one needs it, but taking that to it's logical conclusion, then no one really needs a sat nav at all - it's just a handy tool.

I'd go as far as to say that lane guidance is probably the most useful aspect of any sat nav system - usually, I know the general route I'm taking so the only time I'll actually look at it is when approaching a junction or interchange I don't know. - it's nice to have what is essentially just the junction signage repeated and on permanent display in the car. Also handy when driving abroad where signage or markings aren't as clear and you might be less familiar with destinations or major route designations, or traffic is a bit more hectic and a lot of your concentration is on making sure some impatient local doesn't take your side out (**** you, Peripherique).
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The problem is it can be inherently wrong as it is after all just a script and confuses drivers because they follow it literally and it does make mistakes because in a lot of cases in will follow the first exit of a junction which isn't always correct.

Using the example from above junction 27 on the M25 takes you onto the M11 northbound.

The Nav can get in a pickle as there is two ways you can do it.

You can stay in the 1st lane which puts you on the exit to the M11 southbound as this is the first exit in front of you but it will then tell you to go into the right lane to take the exit to M11 northbound as there is a little straight where it forks into two for M11 southbound and northbound. This is logical for the Nav as you are taking the first exit of the junction. The problem is traffic is rubbish on the 25 at the best of the times and people nearly crashing into each other because they are switching at the last minute.

Yet if you just used your eyes and looked at the sign a mile before the junction you would see to stay in the second lane and take the "2nd" exit of junction 27 and follow that around to M11 northbound in a smooth single swoop.

You get junctions like this all over like where the A46 joins the A50 or the A500 onto the M6. I could go on for hours really. People just blindly following the Nav where it is clear as pie on the signs a mile back on the road.

A feature on my Garmin has the roads in list format and the miles before I come across them. I haven't really played much with Google maps to see if they have something similar as in default they only show your next turning but this is the best feature for me as I know my route 100's of miles Infront.
 
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adam cool dude said:
The problem is it can be inherently wrong as it is after all just a script and confuses drivers because they follow it literally and it does make mistakes because in a lot of cases in will follow the first exit of a junction which isn't always correct.

Using the example from above junction 27 on the M25 takes you onto the M11 northbound.

The Nav can get in a pickle as there is two ways you can do it.

You can stay in the 1st lane which puts you on the exit to the M11 southbound as this is the first exit in front of you but it will then tell you to go into the right lane to take the exit to M11 northbound as there is a little straight where it forks into two for M11 southbound and northbound. This is logical for the Nav as you are taking the first exit of the junction. The problem is traffic is rubbish on the 25 at the best of the times and people nearly crashing into each other because they are switching at the last minute.

Yet if you just used your eyes and looked at the sign a mile before the junction you would see to stay in the second lane and take the "2nd" exit of junction 27 and follow that around to M11 northbound in a smooth single swoop.

You get junctions like this all over like where the A46 joins the A50 or the A500 onto the M6. I could go on for hours really. People just blindly following the Nav where it is clear as pie on the signs a mile back on the road.

A feature on my Garmin has the roads in list format and the miles before I come across them. I haven't really played much with Google maps to see if they have something similar as in default they only show your next turning but this is the best feature for me as I know my route 100's of miles Infront.
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I use this junction frequently and I'm pretty sure that it (Google Maps) always highlights the second lane only to head north bound. I'll check next time I go, but I'm almost certain.

But even if it also highlights the first lane as well, that wouldn't be "wrong"....as you yourself pointed out, its both physically and legally possible to leave the M25 in the left most lane then merge right to the northbound M11 lanes, even if it's not optimal. I think it's fair that it's programmed to show you what lanes are actually possible to use for your route, with the expectation that the driver will still be looking out at the window....it is only guidance after all. Some drivers being too dense to do anything but follow it blindly and not look further than the end of their own bonnet isn't really justification for saying it's not a very handy tool in my opinion.
 
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