I Hate Maps & Navigation!

[KZIWarrior]

It's not really in the 'software' per se. The problem lies in their maps and, more importantly the location data overlayed onto the maps. Google ended their service contracts with Tele-Atlas and another company in Q4 of 2009.

They have since started to use their own maps which are far less accurate and, worse yet, their own GPS data (location information) which is VERY POOR in many outlying areas. Many streets are not named correctly and even those that are have many mistakes (such as where intersections are located ect.).

Sadly this is NOT likely to be fixed anytime soon as the amount of data and work needed would be ridiculous and well outside of what Google is capable of doing. We can only sit back, voice our concerns and hope that the idiots that decided to end their service contracts will realize their mistake(s) and take corrective actions (but I doubt it.... Google is become about as bad as Apple in their attitude towards 'mistakes'...).

 

[droidkm]

i've used it maybe 6 times, been perfect each time. granted, i don't search for addresses in the app itself, i google for something and tap the address when it comes up and hit navigate. i also don't really use it in remote or new areas.

 

[mjs31]

Google recently dropped Navteq in favor of Tele Atlas. Many comparisons have been done in the United States comparing the two and although Teleatlas has improved, most of the time Navteq comes out way ahead. Typically not done with google maps, but rather Tom Tom vs Garmin type comparisons. You can google search these comparisons and it is eye opening on how bad Tele Atlas is vs Navteq. None of them are perfect, but accuracy and actual directions (speed, avoidances etc) is greatly in favor of Navteq.

Navteq out, TeleAtlas in

With my Garmin Nuvi 1690 I can actually compare Google and Garmin (Tele Atlas and Navteq) since google is integrated on this unit. Navteq just seems to give better directions including getting you there on the correct side of the street. The nice thing about Google on this system is the search for local businesses by name. It tends to list more since it is using the web when it does the search. So....my Nuvi 1690 will win the battle of the Droid vs Garmin because I get the best (and worst) of both services.

Pretty good info on Navteq vs teleatlas. This is an older article, but the information is still correct. This is not for current comparisons, but rather info...

NAVTEQ vs. TELEATLAS: Which one is better? (GPSmagazine.com)

Hmmm - I had thought Google used their own mapping (Street View). Am I interpreting this wrong? More recent than either of your links by a couple of years:

Google Replaces Tele Atlas Data in US with Google StreetView Data | Understanding Google Maps & Local Search

cuskit

Good catch. Unfortunately I think I would now prefer them to go back to Teleatlas. Google maps used to be more reliable a year or so ago. Now it seems to be hit or miss and no real trust. I was searching for any info on what might have happened and found the teleatlas article. I still think google needs to settle down a little bit and concentrate on the top things. Worst thing you can do as a company is spread yourself to thin. i.e. Nexus 1 issues with no customer support.

 

[takeshi]

However, i have noticed that the nav is off by about 70meters or so. It will tell me i have arrived when really i need to drive up the road another 70 meters or so. this pisses me off.

Sounds like it's not using GPS. With GPS it should be easily within a few meters.

 

[joemustang]

However, i have noticed that the nav is off by about 70meters or so. It will tell me i have arrived when really i need to drive up the road another 70 meters or so. this pisses me off.

Sounds like it's not using GPS. With GPS it should be easily within a few meters.

thanks man. I checked my settings and both boxes were checked. I switched it to GPS satellite only and it found my location instantly!

 

[dos]

I think it is great, and its free. At times you can tell it is still in beta. I noticed as others have said it is great in cities, but when I go on the road for work I notice it being "off" when out in the middle of Illinois, or some parts of rural Iowa I have to travel to for work. I have had a few times where it has told me to get off the interstate, to only get right back on it again, not sure why. I still carry my TomTom in the glove box just in case on occasion. I give it a grade of a solid B, with some tweaks needed.

 

[dos]

Not sure why that post I made gave a thumb down. Can't figure out how to fix it.

 

[PridgNYC]

Seems to me that most of the complaints are with the accuracy of addresses, POI's, and Street Names. I have found this to be true as well, for example a couple weeks ago, I wanted to go to a JoAnnes Fabrics near me, I first searched on google maps at home and checked street view, but couldn't see any store that looked like JoAnne's fabrics, I checked the location out through the store website, and the address was correct, but google maps showed it in a location that didn't appear to have the store based on street view. To be on the safe side, I entered the address in my Dash, and it showed the address about a mile down the road. I went with the Dash, and it got me to the store. Later that evening (a couple weeks ago) I went online and notified google of the problem (you can do this with the "report a problem" link at the top right of google maps. I just checked it today in google maps, and now the location is correct.

The moral of this story is, if you see a problem, report it. If they don't fix it, then you can whine. I have only found and reported one problem with google maps so far, but it is already fixed. I tried this approach when I had my TomTom, but even a year later after purchasing the map upgrade for $50, the problem was still there.

 

[Matth3w]

Wow, that is impressive that they will respond. I'm guessing that most people are so used to developers ignoring their requests that no one bothers to report.

 

[PridgNYC]

Wow, that is impressive that they will respond. I'm guessing that most people are so used to developers ignoring their requests that no one bothers to report.

Frankly, I was surprised as well after my previous unsuccessful attempts to notify TomTom of map errors. And it was fixed quickly without having to pay for a map update. :icon_ banana:

 

[KZIWarrior]

Seems to me that most of the complaints are with the accuracy of addresses, POI's, and Street Names. I have found this to be true as well, for example a couple weeks ago, I wanted to go to a JoAnnes Fabrics near me, I first searched on google maps at home and checked street view, but couldn't see any store that looked like JoAnne's fabrics, I checked the location out through the store website, and the address was correct, but google maps showed it in a location that didn't appear to have the store based on street view. To be on the safe side, I entered the address in my Dash, and it showed the address about a mile down the road. I went with the Dash, and it got me to the store. Later that evening (a couple weeks ago) I went online and notified google of the problem (you can do this with the "report a problem" link at the top right of google maps. I just checked it today in google maps, and now the location is correct.

The moral of this story is, if you see a problem, report it. If they don't fix it, then you can whine. I have only found and reported one problem with google maps so far, but it is already fixed. I tried this approach when I had my TomTom, but even a year later after purchasing the map upgrade for $50, the problem was still there.

You're the first person to see Google actually fix something then. Ever since they ended their contract with the providers I and SEVERAL others I know have reported dozens of problems and not a single one has been addressed yet. We live in a rather highly populated area outside of Nashville so I'm sure that we are only a small percentage of the total reports Google is recieving in this area and NOTHING has been changed yet (been almost 6 months since the contracts ended). I know I have personally reported over a dozen improper locations and several 'local routes' and nothing comes from it. A quick trip over to Google own support forums (IF you can call it a 'support' forum) will show that Google is more or less ignoring their users.

 

[Matth3w]

So if they still have my housing development as a dirt patch, is that something that I can report?

 

[JLB09]

So if they still have my housing development as a dirt patch, is that something that I can report?

I reported my house on my own street as being several houses off, actually the whole street was wrong and google seemed to eventually correct it. I would imagine that people telling them about mistakes would be the only way they can make things right.

I still find this as a great app, not perfect as you still have to perhaps know basically where you are going in a general way, but pretty darn good.

 

[KZIWarrior]

So if they still have my housing development as a dirt patch, is that something that I can report?

Depends on what you mean. If you mean as far as the map (i.e. street names) then yes. If you mean for the sat image I wouldn't count on it. They don't update the sat images very often. I know there are some images that I like to show people that they haven't updated in years. But it's possible if they 'know' they need to update the map they may add the sat image to a queue.

 

[Matth3w]

No I mean I live on Silverado Dr in a housing development that is almost two years old. Yet on the phone it shows it as "Dirt Rd".

EDIT: NM, they must have fixed it just recently.