Map quality

[adriantom]

All,

I wondered if you anyone else is experiencing the same frustration I am.

I am using a Tom Tom 1050 World here in Europe a few months ago. I live in Switzerland and do a lot of driving around the entire country.

My problem is this: the names of towns and exits posted on the road signs appearing on the GPS are simply wrong in some cases and misleading in the rest. In about 30% of cases the sign actually matches what the sign on the GPS reads OR it's not wildly accurate but I'm still able to make-out what the GPS actually means.

In one example, if I had not been a local resident here for the past 4 years, I would have taken the wrong exit based on what the GPS told me. This kind of example has happened more than once, and I've had to rely on my local geographical knowledge to correctly interpret the GPS.

I know it can't it right all the time and I know the GPS is just a guide, but I was amazing when my friends Becker brand GPS (bought in Germany) got all the Swiss road signs PERFECT.

Has anyone else experience the same issue on other maps? On other Tom Tom's?

Does Tom Tom have an official statement on this kind of issue?

Thank you for your help and discussion in advance!

[Zsolt Elite Voyager]

Can you quote an exact issue (what the TT says/shows and what it should be)?

[dhn]

Point out the problematic areas at tomtom.com/mapshare/tools. That seems to be the method for getting corrections made the fastest.

[kandk920]

adriantom,

I have been harping on the same sort of issue regarding TomTom maps in my corner of the USA. Missing roads that have been here for years and on all other electronic maps, and all I get is "Did you report it on Map Share Reporter" from the TomTom loyalists and employees on this board. No statement of why they are so far out of date, when others are to date with most changes that have been made in the past 18 months or more.

[Zsolt Elite Voyager]

It is absolutely no good that some parts of the maps are way behind other providers' maps (whilst obviously in certain areas TT's maps are better). The reason why we are keep refering to the MSR Tool is that by pointing out the issue, TT can prioritize their resources to the reported area.

Other GPS providers have their own MSR Tools as well (for example NavTeq), but they have more users in total to input corrections (G@rmin, Nokia, iGO, etc). I am still on the opinion that all the satnav makers should use one big database to make sure that everyone has the most up-to-date maps, but it all cost money. Heck knows...we'll see. Just today I reported 4 more changes. One was there ever since I remember, the other 3 are recent.

On another note, the upcoming Map Share downloads will make the process faster to include new roads, etc (yet it will require user input).

[Shorty]

Statement?  Sure, and just a few  We make mistakes like anyone else does despite our checks and cross-checks, we could easily be out of date if our Sourcing Teams had not been through there in recent times and we run projects in our Content Operations offices to expand on or correct large datasets (these sometimes conflict with data coming in but that's a budget and staff constraint), we have sophisticated systems in place that reach out to us, the users so that we can report our experiences (and frustrations).  Our MQF Forum is a huge part of that.  The data you send us is closed out; meaning in the map production teams’ database (storage) or is in the Next Map Release database itself and we release every 3 months, in a very few days (4? 5? 11?) in some regions of the World but let’s give some leeway here, Globally our average close out time is no longer than 15 days.

There are three methods to report data to us and one of which is the method we ‘harp’ at:

1)      Collect incorrect data as you go, in your unit, and if you are a (informed) member of Map Share, then

2)     When you connect your computer to unit, Tom Tom (anonymously) draws off the tracklog and all other data whereupon it joins the production line.

3)     Use Map Share Reporter itself to report (and describe – which you can’t do in a unit) what the issue is; and

4)     Come to the MQF (and no other place is more equipped) and describe your problem.  Once we understand it all, and have confirmed with you, we will make that report on your behalf

Harp on using Map Share Reporter?  Of course – it’s the quickest means of putting data at our disposal that we might only see some long while later if method 2 & 3 were used.  Not only a Map Share subscribed person may make use of the programme – anyone else may too.

Adrian and Kay – you both mentioned routing errors.  Now imagine your wife or kids being in an unfamiliar area, an unfamiliar rental, driving rain, sleet or snow, at night and there’s an issue.  Would you not be appreciative of a Samaritan unknown having made the report that corrects the routing there?  Please let us have these in specifics so that we can have the fix created.

If those issues are complex then send Megalos or I the issue described, we’ll confirm with you and make that report on your behalf.

[adriantom]

Hi Zsolt.

I can quote an exact issue and sorry for the delay. Examples are important in this kind of situation. It's no good to generally complain.

So, here's a typical example:

The GPS displays a green sign to get off this exit "Winterthur-Nord", to my right.

In reality, the actual road sign for this exit says "Zurich Wulflingen". The sign to the left says "St. Gallen Winterthur".

So, if I was not a local, i would automatically thnik, I better stay left (matching the wording of the "Winterthur-Nord" sign on my GPS to the Winterthur sign on the road!). In fact, I need to follow the road Zurich/Wulflingen.

This happens quite a bit.

I will post a mapshare request to fix this up, but I was concerned when I saw another company's maps (Becker's) have much better accuracy in this regard.

I know Tom Tom and Becker are different countries, but this is Europe. WESTERN Europe. I would expect this somewhere else, but not in Switzerland.

Adrian

[Zsolt Elite Voyager]

Fair enough. I'm sure Shorty will have a look as well, and will "kick some butts"