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Phone navigation apps are surprisingly bad in Japan (Google ones in particular). Not unusable, but the in-car GPS is more competitive than in other markets IMHO

Phone navigation apps are surprisingly bad in Japan (Google ones in particular). Not unusable, but the in-car GPS is more competitive than in other markets IMHO. Also with an aging population a phone screen is just too small for many. BTW, to parent's point VW has been trying different approaches with a top mounted GPS/infotainment unit that can be omitted on cheaper trims.

onethought 2y ago
Aging population prefers low quality tiny screens with awkward interfaces?
- oneplane 2y ago
  They prefer something they are already familiar with.
  - chgs 2y ago
    That’s one reason I use CarPlay - the interface hasn’t changed for years. Apart from one really annoying change to Apple Maps when they replaced the “silence directions” toggle from a big square to a touch, wait, touch tiny icon interface.
- makeitdouble 2y ago
  They're not tiny, at least not compared to a phone. https://www.daihatsu.co.jp/lineup/move_canbus/03_exterior_interior.htm?type=1 https://www.daihatsu.co.jp/lineup/move_canbus/03_exterior_in...
  - 10u152 2y ago
    Damn that looks like a cool car. Shame it's Japan only
    - germinalphrase 2y ago
      Japan gets way better small car options than the US.
lobochrome 2y ago
That's not true. Google Maps, in particular, has by far the best route guidance. It used to be different - but not anymore. Most in-car systems don't even attempt to route the last 300m here because the detailed one-way street narrow layout of tiny streets isn't in their mapping data, or their algorithms are too weak. Google has mostly no problem with that. Entering Japanese addresses IS tricky, though; here, custom-built Japanese solutions outshine. There are (mainly) no street names; instead, you specify your location by filtering down from Prefecture (Tokyo), City (Ota-ku), Commune (Kugahara), District (1-Chome), Block (26), House Number (1). Japanese systems allow you to enter it this way - with Google (or, even worse, Apple Maps), it's a bit hacky. You would specify it as Kugahara 1-26-1 and hope for the best.
- makeitdouble 2y ago
  Google Maps fails in subtle but weird and sometimes costly ways. On one side, it can't route through a bunch of valid paths. I first assumed it could be because of residents asking Google to cut traffic, but sometimes it's not even through residential areas. I see routes on the map that are avoided in favor of bigger loops, and when trying the shorter routes they're perfectly fine. Or perhaps it's the vehicle size and they optimize for SUVs ? On the other side it will happily route you through paths that are restricted to specific categories of cars. It's up to the driver to carefully avoid them, but it really wants you to go through and reroutes you there when you deviate, so it's a huge PITA in areas you don't know and try to navigate while ignoring the navigation instructions. Cops seem to have noticed it, We've got fined the first time we fucked up, and now that I'm aware of the issue I see the cops in many of these spots basically waiting for the jackpot.
  - bunabhucan 2y ago
    >avoided in favor of bigger loops At this point at google, I wouldn't be surprised if they were selling your route to advertizers to "optimize your driving experience."
    - shagie 2y ago
shagie 2y ago
Japan has some challenges with traditional GPS and satellites that can be low on and buildings interrupt the signal. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quasi-Zenith_Satellite_System https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quasi-Zenith_Satellite_System > The Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS), also known as Michibiki (みちびき), is a four-satellite regional satellite navigation system and a satellite-based augmentation system developed by the Japanese government to enhance the United States-operated Global Positioning System (GPS) in the Asia-Oceania regions, with a focus on Japan. ... > The primary purpose of QZSS is to increase the availability of GPS in Japan's numerous urban canyons, where only satellites at very high elevation can be seen. A secondary function is performance enhancement, increasing the accuracy and reliability of GPS derived navigation solutions. The Quasi-Zenith Satellites transmit signals compatible with the GPS L1C/A signal, as well as the modernized GPS L1C, L2C signal and L5 signals. This minimizes changes to existing GPS receivers. Its got a neat orbit that does a figure 8 with the apogee over Japan (see also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tundra_orbit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tundra_orbit )
kingrazor 2y ago
That definitely does not match my experience. I was in Japan in December of 2022 and used my phone to get everywhere, the directions were extremely accurate, more-so than in my home town in the US.

onethought 2y ago

Aging population prefers low quality tiny screens with awkward interfaces?

oneplane 2y ago
They prefer something they are already familiar with.
- chgs 2y ago
  That’s one reason I use CarPlay - the interface hasn’t changed for years. Apart from one really annoying change to Apple Maps when they replaced the “silence directions” toggle from a big square to a touch, wait, touch tiny icon interface.
makeitdouble 2y ago
They're not tiny, at least not compared to a phone. https://www.daihatsu.co.jp/lineup/move_canbus/03_exterior_interior.htm?type=1 https://www.daihatsu.co.jp/lineup/move_canbus/03_exterior_in...
- 10u152 2y ago
  Damn that looks like a cool car. Shame it's Japan only
  - germinalphrase 2y ago
    Japan gets way better small car options than the US.

lobochrome 2y ago

That's not true. Google Maps, in particular, has by far the best route guidance. It used to be different - but not anymore. Most in-car systems don't even attempt to route the last 300m here because the detailed one-way street narrow layout of tiny streets isn't in their mapping data, or their algorithms are too weak. Google has mostly no problem with that. Entering Japanese addresses IS tricky, though; here, custom-built Japanese solutions outshine. There are (mainly) no street names; instead, you specify your location by filtering down from Prefecture (Tokyo), City (Ota-ku), Commune (Kugahara), District (1-Chome), Block (26), House Number (1). Japanese systems allow you to enter it this way - with Google (or, even worse, Apple Maps), it's a bit hacky. You would specify it as Kugahara 1-26-1 and hope for the best.

makeitdouble 2y ago
Google Maps fails in subtle but weird and sometimes costly ways. On one side, it can't route through a bunch of valid paths. I first assumed it could be because of residents asking Google to cut traffic, but sometimes it's not even through residential areas. I see routes on the map that are avoided in favor of bigger loops, and when trying the shorter routes they're perfectly fine. Or perhaps it's the vehicle size and they optimize for SUVs ? On the other side it will happily route you through paths that are restricted to specific categories of cars. It's up to the driver to carefully avoid them, but it really wants you to go through and reroutes you there when you deviate, so it's a huge PITA in areas you don't know and try to navigate while ignoring the navigation instructions. Cops seem to have noticed it, We've got fined the first time we fucked up, and now that I'm aware of the issue I see the cops in many of these spots basically waiting for the jackpot.
- bunabhucan 2y ago
  >avoided in favor of bigger loops At this point at google, I wouldn't be surprised if they were selling your route to advertizers to "optimize your driving experience."
  - shagie 2y ago

shagie 2y ago

Japan has some challenges with traditional GPS and satellites that can be low on and buildings interrupt the signal. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quasi-Zenith_Satellite_System https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quasi-Zenith_Satellite_System > The Quasi-Zenith Satellite System (QZSS), also known as Michibiki (みちびき), is a four-satellite regional satellite navigation system and a satellite-based augmentation system developed by the Japanese government to enhance the United States-operated Global Positioning System (GPS) in the Asia-Oceania regions, with a focus on Japan. ... > The primary purpose of QZSS is to increase the availability of GPS in Japan's numerous urban canyons, where only satellites at very high elevation can be seen. A secondary function is performance enhancement, increasing the accuracy and reliability of GPS derived navigation solutions. The Quasi-Zenith Satellites transmit signals compatible with the GPS L1C/A signal, as well as the modernized GPS L1C, L2C signal and L5 signals. This minimizes changes to existing GPS receivers. Its got a neat orbit that does a figure 8 with the apogee over Japan (see also https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tundra_orbit https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tundra_orbit )

kingrazor 2y ago

That definitely does not match my experience. I was in Japan in December of 2022 and used my phone to get everywhere, the directions were extremely accurate, more-so than in my home town in the US.