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The navigation assistance in my car is significantly better than the one Google Maps offers. For one thing it doesn't lose its mind every time I go under an ov

The navigation assistance in my car is significantly better than the one Google Maps offers. For one thing it doesn't lose its mind every time I go under an overpass. For another, the UI is vastly superior: it shows me the distance to the next waypoint prominently in the center of the display, between the speedometer and the tachometer. When approaching a turn, the same area of the display is used to show the configuration of the intersection, even complicated ones like double forks or t- or y- shaped intersections, or even acute turnbacks. My car never barks orders like Google Maps does. If it needs to say something, it is awfully polite, saying things such as "If possible, make a legal U-turn." And finally my car's navigation responds to a voice command to stop navigating, which Google Maps doesn't seem to know. In my experience the only thing Google Maps navigation has going for it is superior data. I really wish I could have my car's UI with Google's data.

wlesieutre 10y ago
Hasn't been my experience, but I've never had a car nav system, just attempted to use other people's. Could be a learning curve issue since I'm used to my phone UI and not the cars'. People downvoting honkhonkpants, please don't. You may disagree with him, but it's a well thought out discussion.
- foobarian 10y ago
  Theoretically the car nav has access to inertial/distance sensors which help a ton in tunnels/weak GPS spots. But I bet few cars have this. It would sure be nice to have this exported to phones somehow. (Heck, have the whole OBD feed exposed. One can dream...)
  - wlesieutre 10y ago
    I imagine a car's sensors could be more accurate than a phone's because they're in a fixed orientation. Plus it can tell if you're turning the wheel and should have the same distance info that the odometer gets. The OBD-II data should include odometer readings. I assume phones could at least get that via bluetooth dongles, but I'm not aware of any nav apps that do.
djrogers 10y ago
Those may be fair criticisms, but the only way you're likely going to get what you're asking for (Google's data with a UI as good as your car's) is through a more open and competitive model. On your phone, you probably have literally dozens of choices for GPS apps, but in your car you have one. And the one in your car will never get appreciably better, you're stuck with it.
- greglindahl 10y ago
  As much as I hate bringing Tesla into every EV thread, Tesla's nav uses Google data, and they've reved the UI for all car owners back to the first Model S shipped.
bostonpete 10y ago
> In my experience the only thing Google Maps navigation has going for it is superior data. Well, I think most people would include price as something going for it as well. Plus, data is huge. I have a nav package in my car but never use it because it can't route me around accidents/construction like Waze does. Driving in rush hour traffic on a construction-laden road every day, this has proven invaluable...
sksksk 10y ago
With CarPlay and Google Auto you can get some of these features. What I'd really like to see is a way for a phone to get access to the car's odometer, that is how car navigation systems continue to work in tunnels (by using dead reckoning).
- greglindahl 10y ago
  There are plenty of ODB2 bluetooth dongles out there... I've never seen one hooked up to a nav system, though.
shakil 10y ago
Just to address the tunnels issue, Waze is beginning to install beacons to improve guidance while underground. http://www.foxnews.com/auto/2016/09/23/waze-sets-out-to-eliminate-tunnel-blindness-on-mobile-maps.html http://www.foxnews.com/auto/2016/09/23/waze-sets-out-to-elim... Disclaimer: I work for Google but not in the Waze team
eanzenberg 10y ago
Re: tunnels, with apple maps, I've never had an issue in tunnels. In Boston, going under the city on the 93, it predicts where I am in the route probably using the speed I was at when I entered the tunnel. I think the big dig is > 3 mi long tunnel.
kalleboo 10y ago
After a road trip that showed me just how bad Apple Maps and Google Maps are, I switched to a third-party GPS app, and it combines the great UI and mapping directions (like you say, exquisite lane guidance[0]) but with the pros of a mobile phone (easier search/input and up-to-date maps and POI info) [0] https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3855/14390588297_f2743d8f05_b.jpg https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3855/14390588297_f2743d8f05_b....

wlesieutre 10y ago

Hasn't been my experience, but I've never had a car nav system, just attempted to use other people's. Could be a learning curve issue since I'm used to my phone UI and not the cars'. People downvoting honkhonkpants, please don't. You may disagree with him, but it's a well thought out discussion.

foobarian 10y ago
Theoretically the car nav has access to inertial/distance sensors which help a ton in tunnels/weak GPS spots. But I bet few cars have this. It would sure be nice to have this exported to phones somehow. (Heck, have the whole OBD feed exposed. One can dream...)
- wlesieutre 10y ago
  I imagine a car's sensors could be more accurate than a phone's because they're in a fixed orientation. Plus it can tell if you're turning the wheel and should have the same distance info that the odometer gets. The OBD-II data should include odometer readings. I assume phones could at least get that via bluetooth dongles, but I'm not aware of any nav apps that do.

djrogers 10y ago

Those may be fair criticisms, but the only way you're likely going to get what you're asking for (Google's data with a UI as good as your car's) is through a more open and competitive model. On your phone, you probably have literally dozens of choices for GPS apps, but in your car you have one. And the one in your car will never get appreciably better, you're stuck with it.

greglindahl 10y ago
As much as I hate bringing Tesla into every EV thread, Tesla's nav uses Google data, and they've reved the UI for all car owners back to the first Model S shipped.

bostonpete 10y ago

> In my experience the only thing Google Maps navigation has going for it is superior data. Well, I think most people would include price as something going for it as well. Plus, data is huge. I have a nav package in my car but never use it because it can't route me around accidents/construction like Waze does. Driving in rush hour traffic on a construction-laden road every day, this has proven invaluable...

sksksk 10y ago

With CarPlay and Google Auto you can get some of these features. What I'd really like to see is a way for a phone to get access to the car's odometer, that is how car navigation systems continue to work in tunnels (by using dead reckoning).

greglindahl 10y ago
There are plenty of ODB2 bluetooth dongles out there... I've never seen one hooked up to a nav system, though.

shakil 10y ago

Just to address the tunnels issue, Waze is beginning to install beacons to improve guidance while underground. http://www.foxnews.com/auto/2016/09/23/waze-sets-out-to-eliminate-tunnel-blindness-on-mobile-maps.html http://www.foxnews.com/auto/2016/09/23/waze-sets-out-to-elim... Disclaimer: I work for Google but not in the Waze team

eanzenberg 10y ago

Re: tunnels, with apple maps, I've never had an issue in tunnels. In Boston, going under the city on the 93, it predicts where I am in the route probably using the speed I was at when I entered the tunnel. I think the big dig is > 3 mi long tunnel.

kalleboo 10y ago

After a road trip that showed me just how bad Apple Maps and Google Maps are, I switched to a third-party GPS app, and it combines the great UI and mapping directions (like you say, exquisite lane guidance[0]) but with the pros of a mobile phone (easier search/input and up-to-date maps and POI info) [0] https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3855/14390588297_f2743d8f05_b.jpg https://c2.staticflickr.com/4/3855/14390588297_f2743d8f05_b....