1. Attachments are working again! Check out this thread for more details and to report any other bugs.

Prius Nav beats Google Map

Discussion in 'Gen 3 Prius Audio and Electronics' started by iClaudius, Feb 9, 2013.

  1. iClaudius

    iClaudius Active Member

    Joined:
    Dec 25, 2012
    435
    135
    0
    Location:
    Kansas
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Never thought I'd say that but I ignored Prius Nav's directions and went with Google Maps and Google steered me to a "Closed for the Winter" road which Prius Nav picked up and tried to navigate me around.

    I went with Googles 2 hour routing vs. Prius Nav 3 hour and ended up not getting to the destination at all. Once I got to the closed road, it was another two hours to back track.

    Real winner was Apple Maps which showed both routes but noted the shortest route "Roads might be closed for winter".
     
    andreyco likes this.
  2. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2012
    10,926
    4,427
    0
    Location:
    Pacific Northwest, USA
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    Sounds like you're using these navigation apps in remote locations far from the big city... In winter it's wise to get as many sources of info as possible, especially "local knowledge," which most apps can't provide.

    Your experience is an interesting one even though just one test is not really a good way to judge which one works better for everyone.

    In general Apple has the least number of employees working on maps, which means they depend on scraping computer data from other sources, which means it's the least reliable. They've also not been working on their maps for much time so they'll usually have the most errors.

    Whereas Google maps has nearly 10,000 employees that spend all day everyday driving around the world fact checking maps both by hand, and via street view cameras for almost 10 years now! Google has invested more than all their other competitors combined to map the world, so if you only could choose one, they'd be the most reliable. Here's the details of why: Here’s What Goes Into Making Google Maps, Will Apple Be Able To Recalculate? | TechCrunch

    The Toyota GPS is something I don't know enough about but I assume it's based on a partnership with a leading GPS map provider.

    Any good navigator will plan their route based on all available resources rather than picking just one.

    I've spent most of my life working in forestry and the very best maps for that type of travel is infra-red stereoscopic with a USGS overlay and preferably the study of the same area to be traveled in looks at all aerial photos from the 1940's to the present to define the age of the road / vegetation as well as how often its been "maintained." Of course not even Google has been able to liberate this data, which is still mostly in basements of university libraries and state governments around the country.
     
  3. MBRGuru

    MBRGuru Member

    Joined:
    Oct 28, 2011
    255
    26
    0
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius v wagon
    Model:
    Five
    I can believe it. Google Maps has quite a few errors just in my area alone. Roads that aren't actually roads, wrong POI information, wrong road geometries... In the end it's best to compare multiple sources since they pick up new data at different intervals.
     
  4. iClaudius

    iClaudius Active Member

    Joined:
    Dec 25, 2012
    435
    135
    0
    Location:
    Kansas
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    There goes that theory out the window. Specifics vs. generalities.

    Apple Maps offer two routes with the warning about the winter closure. Prius Nav just uses the open in winter route. Google Maps just offers the closed (wrong) route.
     
  5. PriusCamper

    PriusCamper Senior Member

    Joined:
    Mar 3, 2012
    10,926
    4,427
    0
    Location:
    Pacific Northwest, USA
    Vehicle:
    2007 Prius
    Model:
    Two
    So what's your point? I'm not clear on what you're trying to say? Are you one of those Apple fanatics that trolls the web defending them as though you were defending your own identity or are you trying to make a specific point with just one experience/example?
     
  6. iClaudius

    iClaudius Active Member

    Joined:
    Dec 25, 2012
    435
    135
    0
    Location:
    Kansas
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    That Prius Nav beat Google maps for navigation. Neither of which involve Apple which seems to be your personal demon.
     
  7. CaliforniaBear

    CaliforniaBear Clearwater Blue Metallic

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2012
    1,179
    289
    0
    Location:
    Northern California
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Help them fix the errors. They are very responsive. Near the lower left corner there is a "Report a problem" link.
     
  8. tach18k

    tach18k Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2012
    406
    38
    1
    Location:
    SoCal Beach Area
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    LEARN TO READ A MAP BOOK
     
  9. CaliforniaBear

    CaliforniaBear Clearwater Blue Metallic

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2012
    1,179
    289
    0
    Location:
    Northern California
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    I really like the way they are updated regularly and calculate routes for you.
     
  10. retired4999

    retired4999 Prius driver since 2005

    Joined:
    Aug 11, 2011
    2,652
    625
    15
    Location:
    Eau Claire, Wi.
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius Plug-in
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    Yep! everything is a tool. check double check! ;)
     
  11. tach18k

    tach18k Member

    Joined:
    Feb 21, 2012
    406
    38
    1
    Location:
    SoCal Beach Area
    Vehicle:
    Other Hybrid
    Back in the 70's I drove an ambulance in Los Angeles, you only had a mapbook and a sense of understanding address's and how LA sets them up. You knew 2600 west # street was near Crenshaw Blvd or so, so you had a head start. Then there were the dark roads and no lights, that you got there without remembering how you did that, then get to the hospital. You learn alot in a short time.
     
  12. HeinzCatSoup

    HeinzCatSoup Junior Member

    Joined:
    May 9, 2013
    90
    14
    0
    Location:
    Southern California
    Vehicle:
    2010 Prius
    Model:
    II
    where do i download mapbook? i cant find it on the appstore.
     
  13. iClaudius

    iClaudius Active Member

    Joined:
    Dec 25, 2012
    435
    135
    0
    Location:
    Kansas
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Three
    Learn to drive a horse and buggy.

    Memorizing city maps is right up there with memoriziing phone books in case I might call a person or business some day.

    But...hey...we have cool fun technology that puts that all at our fingertips and cool apps that lets use use that info easily.
     
  14. CaliforniaBear

    CaliforniaBear Clearwater Blue Metallic

    Joined:
    Oct 9, 2012
    1,179
    289
    0
    Location:
    Northern California
    Vehicle:
    2012 Prius
    Model:
    Plug-in Base
    I have more than 200 maps, the kind you fold out and read, you remember them. About half are USA the others are mostly Europe. Its sad but they are about to go into the trash unless someone has a better idea.