Motorways and a-roads are probably where it's least needed because they're generally well signposted. All other roads however can be an absolute gamble, especially if driving around city centers where road markings can be useless because there's always cars either stationary or driving over them, and by the time you do see the road marking you could very well be in the wrong lane.
Android crew, are you using waze or Google maps for navigation?
- Thread starter tsobo
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Motorways and a-roads are probably where it's least needed because they're generally well signposted. All other roads however can be an absolute gamble, especially if driving around city centers where road markings can be useless because there's always cars either stationary or driving over them, and by the time you do see the road marking you could very well be in the wrong lane.
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I use Waze on an android head unit in one car, and Google maps on phone in the others. I prefer waze on a landscape screen.
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Yeah, the quality of them varies (or did vary last time I boght one) massively.
Assuming you do have a good one, you then have to invest the time to strip out the bs and set it up properly with a faster loader etc, maybe some automation apps, disable all updates etc. Once done though I find them great. I haven't had to touch mine for a few years now, it just works perfectly.
Mine was a Droid UK headunit, which is supposed to be one of the best ones for BMW.
Soldato
They have quite different algorithms. Waze will get you there as fast as possible looking focusing a lot on real-time traffic and such. Maps isn't as aggressive on time.
I find on the morning commute in heavy traffic around Manchester, Waze always wins for me.
Google maps shows me the speed limit for the road I am on as well?
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Only as accurately as the data behind it.
Find its out quite often with all these 30mph->20mph or NSL -> 50mph changes.
Also in Europe during the summer it was out quite frequently to the point i wouldn't trust it to give me the right speed. That was mainly around Germany and Austria
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Not very well though. All I got from it was basic directional instructions, nothing like the junction layout maps you get from the integrated system.
I set up Waze and decided to give it another go on my route this morning. One immediate thing I've noticed - there doesn't seem to be a way to change the map orientation on the go (in Android Auto at least).
In the settings, I set the map style to "Auto", which I gather means it switches to 3D as you start moving, but I also set it to North Up. I thought that might only apply while the map was in 2D view, which would be really handy - generally, I like to have the map in north-up 2D all the time and switch to 3D perspective when I have a route entered. But once I got going, it seemed the map was in a 3D perspective type orientation, but looking north, which wasn't much good. On Google Maps, there's an icon to just cycle through the map orientations, but I couldn't find it with Waze, and I was on the motorway so I couldn't stop and pull my phone out to access the main settings. Have I just missed an icon somewhere?
In the settings, I set the map style to "Auto", which I gather means it switches to 3D as you start moving, but I also set it to North Up. I thought that might only apply while the map was in 2D view, which would be really handy - generally, I like to have the map in north-up 2D all the time and switch to 3D perspective when I have a route entered. But once I got going, it seemed the map was in a 3D perspective type orientation, but looking north, which wasn't much good. On Google Maps, there's an icon to just cycle through the map orientations, but I couldn't find it with Waze, and I was on the motorway so I couldn't stop and pull my phone out to access the main settings. Have I just missed an icon somewhere?
One annoying thing with Google maps is it says the bit you want to know so late for roundabouts sometimes you have a last minute lane change.
It zooms in so you can't see the roundabout (even in portrait) then will say
"in 300 yards at the round about take the 3rd exit"
By this time if it's busy it's tricky to chop over.
Other proper ones seem to say "take the 3rd exit at the roundabout"
I need to know the exit first! It's the most important bit
Another annoying thing is it doesn't show a good on screen "sign"
Coming to the m4 from Newport road it doesn't show "m4" at top of the screen until you're on the m4. What it shows isn't even on the signs on the road. It's ridiculous of you don't know it as its a tricky junction.
It zooms in so you can't see the roundabout (even in portrait) then will say
"in 300 yards at the round about take the 3rd exit"
By this time if it's busy it's tricky to chop over.
Other proper ones seem to say "take the 3rd exit at the roundabout"
I need to know the exit first! It's the most important bit
Another annoying thing is it doesn't show a good on screen "sign"
Coming to the m4 from Newport road it doesn't show "m4" at top of the screen until you're on the m4. What it shows isn't even on the signs on the road. It's ridiculous of you don't know it as its a tricky junction.
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Wut?
Integrated nav is garbage. Car makers should stick to making cars
The routing algos are different. Google will never send you on some of the rat runs Waze does (to its detriment and benefit).
Waze is heavily gamified too, so people report police/pot holes etc.
It also has a count down to speed cameras.
Hmm after reading the forums it would seem since last update on X5 junction layout maps works on both GM and Waze on the HUD now.. Will try this weekend.
Integrated nav is garbage. Car makers should stick to making cars
I think it's highly variable - some manufacturers are terrible at it, others are not so bad. I've never used a perfect system but the way the system in my car integrates so well with both the instrument cluster and the head up display means it would need to be really quite bad before the benefits of another system would outweigh that. I have Android Auto and could easily use Google Maps through that but the fact I choose not to demonstrates that I'm really quite happy with the integrated system. It has its faults but so does Google Maps - my main dislike of Google Maps is how I always seem to have issues with it when roads are closed - either it doesn't know (Which is strange, because on the desktop you can absolutely see it does know?!) or it does things like assume the huge incident on the Motorway will probably be fine in an hours time so routes you that way anyway.
I rarely even connect my phone in the car anymore, I just have no need as the car performs every function I'd want my phone to do and I don't take calls when driving.
On a particularly long trip I'll often check Google Maps as well when stopping for a coffee just to make sure
I get this on my head up display as well - all part of the integrated system, I was very surprised to find it does it
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Soldato
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I think I maybe need to change my navigation app. currently have the premium jaguar one (as in it's paid for however my sub runs out in December and I don't want to pay. not sure how it is when in our of sub mode) but either way.... on the M6 yesterday the car navigated me to come off the motorway.... down the slip road.... over the roundabout and then I kid you not ... back onto the motorway again. It was bonkers.
I have the added complexity of needed good chargepoint info on the app I use and I don't think Waze is great for that. will probably go ABRP or electroverse (because that is free)
The nav in my Leon does that. It's an absolute steaming pile of a system, thankfully it has carplay and android auto so I'll just use those.
Work provide me an iPhone and I must admit that I've found Apple Maps to be better than Google Maps for a while now. The ETA predictions especially are bang on even over multiple hour trips.
To be fair, Google Maps did that to me once on the approach to the Dartford Crossing - guided me off the M25 at the A13 exit, along the parallel slip which skips straight up to the Lakeside junction, and then back on. Skipped me ahead of almost a mile of queuing traffic
Waze has done that to me at least 5 times in the last 15 years. Sometimes it is a good trick
Ah yeah that is an unfair comparison though. It is just god tier navigating around that nightmare of a crossingTo be fair, Google Maps did that to me once on the approach to the Dartford Crossing - guided me off the M25 at the A13 exit, along the parallel slip which skips straight up to the Lakeside junction, and then back on. Skipped me ahead of almost a mile of queuing traffic
It doesn't for me, it just show my current speed.