Will Nav System Calculate Shortest Route

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(John6012 @ May 8 2007, 07:48 PM) [snapback]437949[/snapback]</div>

It does

 

Yes, it calculates three routes: quick1, quick2, and shortest.

Tom

 

Yes, it does.

I wish there were a user setting to indicate "Don't consider a route faster or shorter if it's within xx minutes or xx miles of the others." That would simplify the choices in the many cases where the difference is insignificant.

 

You an also program the nav to avoid freeways, toll roads, and ferries, if you are REALLY trying for MPG...

Conversely, you can add a specific road if you really want to ride it, say, a scenic highway.

 

I don't use the "avoid" feature, though I have programmed a couple of "areas to avoid" enroute.

For example, I don't want the nav routing me on CA Highway 1 northbound. As pretty as that drive is, I don't want to use the road to head to the Bay Area. By creating a small Area To Avoid "atop" a bit of the highway, the nav avoids routing me there.

I've similarly marked Interstate 405 so that the nav doesn't try to take me there when heading south through the Los Angeles area toward San Diego.

Note, however, that an Area to Avoid will still be avoided if you activate the Detour function. I wish there were an option setting "Allow this area to be used for Detours."

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(John6012 @ May 8 2007, 07:48 PM) [snapback]437949[/snapback]</div>

The way it works is that once you set your destination, a list of comparable routes (shortest, fastest, alternate) will show up if the destination is far enough away, and you'll see a bird's eye view of the routes (zoomed out far enough that you can see the start and finish).

If I remember correctly, there will be a button at the bottom of the display that will say something like "3 routes" or whatever. If you push it, you can choose between one of the alternate routes which display the distance and travel time.

If you don't choose an alternate route after choosing your destination, I think it defaults to the fastest route, and routes you accordingly once you start driving.

 

<div class='quotetop'>QUOTE(John6012 @ May 8 2007, 09:48 PM) [snapback]437949[/snapback]</div>

Yes, but it's not very consistent about it.

For instance, if I'm driving the 'shortest' route, I've noticed that asking it to recalculate the route, by using the 'shortest' voice command will give me a new route based on where I am now that will shave a few miles off the current distance to travel.

I don't know why it does it like that, or why the shortest route isn't really the shortest route... but that's just how it works I guess.

 

I find that having three choices some times makes it harder to pick which one is actually the shortest or the quickest, especially on longer trips. Going to my son's home in NC from PA the Prius wants to take me at least 70 miles out of my way for the quickest route. The Garmin I have in my truck does take me the shortest and the quickest route.

I am still getting used to it, Toyota's, I do like the three route choices. Yesterday I followed it to a local business, 15 miles from home, and I followed the quickest route of the three offered. I was on roads I never was on before and I lived here my entire life. I would have gone a different route, but the route the GPS picked was just fine and just as fast. It is great for my wife who is not affraid to go anywhere new now by herself. It is imposible to get lost, if you make a wrong turn it does not even yell at you, it just finds a new route.