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Toyota Nav Traffic

Discussion in 'Gen 4 Prius Audio and Electronics' started by eric1234, May 11, 2016.

  1. eric1234

    eric1234 Active Member

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    I'm a big fan of the Waze app, because it has (what I believe) to be excellent real-time traffic awareness that can suggest the most time-efficient route. I believe that Google Maps (because Google owns Waze, I think) also provides the same feature.

    I know that the Toyota Navigation App indicates that it has traffic awareness via HD Radio broadcast signals.

    My question is this - has anyone performed a test to determine whether the Toyota Nav will re-route and/or suggest the most time-efficient route? (I know that you can pick from 3 routes when starting out - but I'm not sure if the "Quick" one is based on what is "typically" most "Quick" - or if it is actually selected in real-time based on real traffic?).

    If anyone has any real-world comparisons of Toyota Nav vs Waze/Google - I'd be interested to hear your thoughts and experiences.

    Thanks,
    Eric
     
  2. DonD

    DonD Member

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    When driving from Brooklyn on the BQE two Saturdays ago in thick traffic, it did offer a re-route (which I ignored). No idea about how it compares to Waze though.
     
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  3. krmcg

    krmcg Lowered Blizzard Pearl Beauty

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    It does ask it you want to re-route due to traffic.
     
  4. wrprice

    wrprice Active Member

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    In Gen3 premium nav, traffic (and weather) was provided by a data service from XM Radio, free for 3 years (the XM radio audio was free for a shorter amount of time). In Gen4, the traffic data is said to come from HD radio -- so does that mean there's no subscription requirement on this generation?
     
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  5. krmcg

    krmcg Lowered Blizzard Pearl Beauty

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    No subscription required for the traffic.
     
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  6. wrprice

    wrprice Active Member

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    Fantastic! It's nice to not be nickel and dimed by a subscription for built-in features. Now if only they would set reasonable prices for US map updates.
     
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  7. eric1234

    eric1234 Active Member

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    I used the nav a bit more this weekend - Overall, I liked it - but the ETA (if I was more than 3 hours out) was horribly pessimistic, when compared to Waze...
     
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  8. ems2158

    ems2158 Active Member

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    I have a 2013 Prius v with nav and traffic. When traveling, I usually keep both Waze on my phone and The Toyota nav running at the same time. Waze always has more up to date traffic and road hazard information and will reroute faster and more accurately than the Toyota nav. I keep the Toyota nav going for the times when I'm in no service areas which happens pretty often. Also, my Toyota nav database is really outdated. I had the maps updated once and it cost $240!! I won't do that again.
    Yesterday, I had Waze on and my cell phone screen went black but the Toyota nav was working perfectly. Funny how polarized sun glasses don't work with some cell phones.
     
  9. PriUncut

    PriUncut Active Member

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    I believe in the 2016 Prius' - the traffic info comes via your local regular radio HD signals.
    No longer through XM. Much better and free for life!
     
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  10. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    Yep! But it seems you need Entune. We don't have Entune in Canada so no traffic (even though we can receive HD radio)
     
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  11. OnOurFourthPrius

    OnOurFourthPrius New Member

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    We get traffic without Entune. Manual says traffic only available in US.
     
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  12. Frolix

    Frolix Junior Member

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    In Europe with the basic navigation (not the JBL one) it's either radio (FM) based, which sucks most of anywhere except maybe in Germany and is mainly for highways, or (3 years free) Tomtom trafic through your cellphone data, which is much more accurate, similar to Google's.
    You can choose the option you prefer and how often it will update in SETUP (the soft button on the nav)/trafic
     
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  13. GT4Prius

    GT4Prius Active Member

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    In the UK Google traffic awareness is FAR faster than Waze or Here Maps. The downside of using Google s Drive app though on a phone is the v heavy data and processor usage, which can get the phone so hot it that it stops allowing the phone battery to be charged, to protect the battery from heat damage. Google drive app is v limited in what map data can be stored locally on the phone, so has to get the data over the network as you drive. So no good if roaming or v poor network coverage.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
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  14. GT4Prius

    GT4Prius Active Member

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    Ps by faster I mean more up to date and reliable.

    Posted via the PriusChat mobile app.
     
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  15. ETP

    ETP 2021 Prime(Limit),Highlander HYB Plat,B52-D,G,F,H

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    Good tread to keep up with. I assumed it was etune + HD as that is what I have set for data in settings.
     
  16. Swampthing

    Swampthing Junior Member

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    I know this is an old topic, but I’m hoping someone can help me. I seem to recall several years ago when I hit heavy traffic, my Prius 2004 navigation system spoke and asked if I would like to re-route to get around the heavy traffic. Now that I have a 2014 Prius, I have no idea how to enable that option. Yes, I have a current XM traffic subscription.
     
  17. davecook89t

    davecook89t Senior Member

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    I have a 2007 with the Nav and a current XM subscription, and I use the Nav regularly, but it has never asked me if I would like to re-route around traffic. From everything I've heard, there is no traffic awareness on that system, although if you ask the system to "Detour" via the Voice Command button, it will select an alternate route. Are you sure that information came from the Nav system on the car, not your phone?

    On the 2017, there is an icon on the map screen showing if traffic information is available (referenced with the number 4 on the picture of the map screen on Page 194 of the Navigation System manual). I don't know if it is the same on the 2014 Prius. On the 2017, I believe you need to also enable the Predictive Traffic Map in the Nav setup. The system has informed me of traffic issues ahead on the route I have chosen, but I'm guessing I would have to delete the destination and then re-enter it, in order for the system to choose the best route based on the current traffic situation. I would assume the route the system chooses is based on the traffic situation at the time you choose it, and it would not change the route as traffic conditions change.
     

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  18. krmcg

    krmcg Lowered Blizzard Pearl Beauty

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    My 2016 will alert me on the screen that the route can be changed to avoid traffic. No speech though...
     
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  19. Tideland Prius

    Tideland Prius Moderator of the North
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    I'm under the impression that Toyota no longer contracts out XMNavTraffic for traffic data as the new models (any Toyota with the 2014 headunits which includes the Gen 4 Prius) use HDTraffic for their traffic data.

    It appears you have a 2014 PiPA? So you'll have the 7" LCD screen. The menu layout should be similar to your 2004. Traffic data is enabled through the navigation settings IIRC. But again, it may show it (like mine does) but no data is actually loaded. (I haven't seen traffic data since 2014)
     
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  20. krmcg

    krmcg Lowered Blizzard Pearl Beauty

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    My 2014 Avalon does have the XMNavTraffic.