Need a Sat Nav which re routes around traffic...

Waze does seem the best.

Although Google maps uses the data the redirect on Waze does seem better.
I use it for every journey now, moved over from Google Maps and CamSam after having a rerouting bug in Maps where it never actually rerouted. I believe this to still be ongoing. There is a forum thread on Google somewhere.

Waze does everything I need.
Also has a handy feature where it will keep on top of the screen.
So when I get a call it flashes up who it is like normal and then Waze takes back over after a few seconds.

My only complaint is the notifications for speed cameras and roadworks etc are absolutely massive if you run landscape. I run a Galaxy S4 and its makes the map hardly visible.
I will give them feedback on this at some point.
 
joeyjojo said:
In case people didn't know, Google Maps uses Waze for its traffic.

http://www.technobuffalo.com/2014/02/04/google-maps-using-waze-data-to-offer-faster-directions/

They bought them nearly three years ago so I don't know why Waze still exists on its own.

https://googleblog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/06/google-maps-and-waze-outsmarting.html
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Waze still exists because it's user driven. You can report speed cameras, accidents, traffic, etc. You can't do any of that on google maps iirc.

The more people that use waze the better the service is. So everyone should be switching to waze.

Since google acquired it, it's now full of ads which try and re-route you to the nearest burger king, etc.

I use both but I should try to use waze more.
 
I've tried pretty much everything. Waze, TomTom or Route 66 are all good. They're the best options for avoiding traffic.

TomTom can be tried used free for 50 miles per month but more than that requires a subscription. The app is very similar to what you get with a top of the range Tomtom PND. Route 66 can be tried free for a month.

The best actual traffic data at the moment seems to be Google but it doesn't automaticalky reroute without you pressing the screen. Route 66 and TomTom use less data than Waze because you can download the maps.

I think it's worth giving them all a go. As navigation packages I prefer Route 66 and TomTom but they update their maps far less frequently than Google or Waze.

Road closures are a little different from jams. The above all have great info for traffic slowing down but for road closures can only really be relied upon for the Strategic Road network controlled by Highways England. For better coverage of all closures on A Roads, Inrix is a good option. Until recently Inrix was just a traffic info app but now it includes turn by turn navigation. Unfortunately it may miss some jams that the others pick up though.
 
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Not quite. If you look at Google maps and Waze you will find they share some incidents but the traffic flow data is not identical. Likewise, Google maps and Waze maps are not identical (I am a volunteer editor for both).

But yes, Google do own Waze. I suspect it's anti-competitive concerns that mean they don't fully share resources.

IMO, if they added Waze's routing and traffic avoidance algorithm to Google maps superior data set they would instantly create the best app for traffic avoidance available. As it is, they both trade blows with TomTom.
 
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I use Tom Tom and waze if it's a decent length journey to somewhere I am not overly familiar with.
I'll put the route into both at the start and see if there is any significant difference, then I'll go from there.
7-8 times out of 10 there isn't, so I just go with my Tom Tom.
 
Uriel said:
Not quite. If you look at Google maps and Waze you will find they share some incidents but the traffic flow data is not identical. Likewise, Google maps and Waze maps are not identical (I am a volunteer editor for both).
.
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Just to expand on this:

There is a part time slip road closure near where I work (East Midlands) that typically causes 10 minute delays on the surrounding roads when it's in operation.

Tomtom has it in an accurate and timely fashion. Google has it but it seems to be per day and it isn't removed when the road is open. Waze doesn't have it at all. Waze will only get it if a Wazer reports it as they drive past or if someone reports it to their volunteer incidents team (who are pretty much overwhelmed in the UK and only have time to concentrate on major incidents). It doesn't automatically include the info Google or Tomtom get from many local authorities.

Waze routes directly through the closure to 'avoid' the traffic caused by the closure.

Unfortunately I haven't yet found a single service that is best for all road closures throughout the UK. It varies by area. So my advice is try what's available and go with whatever gets you the best info where you need to drive.
 
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Last time I used Waze it was about 12 months ago and I gave up after a while. It seemed that it only picked up traffic if people were manually reporting it (and there didn't seem to be enough users around here then), drove into traffic jams that were miles long (so obviously hadn't just appeared) that Google Maps already seemed to know about after switching.

Might have to give it another go.
 
I have a TomTom, one of the newer ones with traffic update...yet it did not try to get me off the Easter holiday M25 traffic jam, ended up taking matters into my own hands and did the man thing where I literally looked at the map and did the...this road goes that direction-ish, lets try it !
 
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dannyjo22 said:
Anyone know why you can't buy 12 months of traffic on Tom Tom phone app anymore? It's month by month only.
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you mean the tom tom go? that's the app I have on my headunit and I recently got the 12 month unlimited mileage which was £14.99

Raymond Lin said:
I have a TomTom, one of the newer ones with traffic update...yet it did not try to get me off the Easter holiday M25 traffic jam, ended up taking matters into my own hands and did the man thing where I literally looked at the map and did the...this road goes that direction-ish, lets try it !
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yup, done it a few times.. see traffic ahead of me? hit any road, my destination is in there so it will reroute me to get me there.. ha.
 
Ah ok I hadn't upgraded I will still on the old tom Tom app and just upgraded for 3 years for free. I take it that has traffic and everything included.
 
grudas said:
I've used waze on my android headunit and it's alright but I prefer tomtom :o mainly for LOUD speed camera alerts etc.. it's not as good at rerouting as waze is but I found that it simply reroutes me to a traffic jam created by uber drivers ha ;)

and then you sit in a jam full of priuse'es.
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Are you mad, you mad man?!

Waze speed camera alerts are plenty loud I find. Integration with everything else if logged in via the social networks is also one of Waze's plus points.
 
mrk said:
Are you mad, you mad man?!

Waze speed camera alerts are plenty loud I find. Integration with everything else if logged in via the social networks is also one of Waze's plus points.
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mine's just a little beep if that, I miss it 90% of the time, most of the time I notice the pop up rather than hear the alert??

might try properly on a drive to silverstone this sunday :o
 
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