Suggestion: pick alternate route

NHA

I want to make a suggestion for a new feature for my GO navigation device, though it would probably be applicable to any navigation device. I provide 3 different cases where the feature would be helpful.

1. When, for example, I find that my route is blocked because of a mudslide or whatever, I would like to avoid having the device nag me for the next hour about turning around at the next opportunity. One way to do this would be to have a pick alternate route function, which could also be done as a voice command.
2. Sometimes, I simply miss the turn, and then sometimes the device simply picks an alternate route instead of bugging me to turn around. I'm in the process of finding a way to turn around to get back on track, and my device is now presenting a different route, without so much as informing me, much less asking me. I have landed in this confusing situation several times. If there were an explicit pick alternate route command, then the automatic re-routing could be suppressed, allowing the user to decide whether he wants a new route, or find a way to get back on track.
3. The third way this function could be helpful is when multiple routes are presented. It may well be that there is a way to select which route I want, but I haven't figured that out yet; I'm only a computer engineer. With a pick alternate route command, it would be intuitively obvious to the most casual observer how to select the desired route.

All of these things have happened to me multiple times, and they are all annoying. When I'm driving in a strange new situation, perhaps with traffic and time pressure, the last thing I need is hassles from my navigation device. With one new command, the human interface could be improved all around.

YamFazMan

Hi
@NHA

In your profile you only state GO as your Tomtom device ???
Which GO device do you own ???

ATB YFM

YamFazMan

Hi
@NHA

NHA wrote: »

I want to make a suggestion for a new feature for my GO navigation device, though it would probably be applicable to any navigation device. I provide 3 different cases where the feature would be helpful.

When, for example, I find that my route is blocked because of a mudslide or whatever, I would like to avoid having the device nag me for the next hour about turning around at the next opportunity. One way to do this would be to have a pick alternate route function, which could also be done as a voice command.

If your GO ??? Has Voice Control....
You can already say "Hello Tomtom" (Wait for response)
Then Say
"Find Alternative"
"Avoid blocked road"
"Clear route"

NHA wrote: »

Sometimes, I simply miss the turn, and then sometimes the device simply picks an alternate route instead of bugging me to turn around. I'm in the process of finding a way to turn around to get back on track, and my device is now presenting a different route, without so much as informing me, much less asking me. I have landed in this confusing situation several times. If there were an explicit pick alternate route command, then the automatic re-routing could be suppressed, allowing the user to decide whether he wants a new route, or find a way to get back on track.

Note....
This may not work with a route recalculation from a missed turn ???
How have you set up your route planning options....
Tap 4Dot (.... Menu) → Setting → Route planning In Section (1)
'When a faster route become available'
Have you set Option... (1) 'Always take the Fastest route'
To 'Don't ask me'... If 'Yes' the device will change the planned route automatically to the faster route, without asking you
____________________________________

Tap 4Dot (.... Menu) → Setting → Route planning
The 1st Section of the Route planning Menu Screen applies when you have already planned a route and you are driving the Route
On the Live Tomtom Devices 'When a faster route become available' the device will....
Option... (1) = Always take the Fastest route i.e... 'Don't ask me, always take the fastest route'
Option... (2) = Ask me, so I can choose I.e... 'Always ask me' BEFORE taking the Fastest route
Option... (3) = 'Don't Ask me' I.e... Don't Ask me at all, stick to the planned Route

Route planning screen... Section (1)

NHA wrote: »

The third way this function could be helpful is when multiple routes are presented. It may well be that there is a way to select which route I want, but I haven't figured that out yet; I'm only a computer engineer. With a pick alternate route command, it would be intuitively obvious to the most casual observer how to select the desired route.[/list]
All of these things have happened to me multiple times, and they are all annoying. When I'm driving in a strange new situation, perhaps with traffic and time pressure, the last thing I need is hassles from my navigation device. With one new command, the human interface could be improved all around.

If you have planned the route directly on the GO ??? Or using the MyDrive Web Route planner and saved the journey to your GO ??? Using the 'Send Destination' or 'Send Stops' options (.ITN Itinerary route)
See... https://discussions.tomtom.com/en/discussion/comment/1713831/#Comment_1713831
With the .ITN route calculated and displayed on the device....
Tap 4Dot (.... Menu) → Current Route... There are many route modifying options available to change the .ITN Route
like....
Find Alternative
Avoid blocked road
Avoid Road types
Avoid part of the route
Add a stop to the route
Change route type etc etc....

Note... For .GPX Tracks
Tap 4Dot (.... Menu) → Current Track... There are far less route modifying options available

Stay safe ATB YFM

NHA

Thanks for your suggestions. I have the GO 6200.
I wasn't aware of the "Find alternative" command. It may float my boat, at least for the first case. "Avoid blocked road" might also work, but it's unclear to me how it knows which road I mean.
I have the route planning configured as you suggest, but for the second case, I have never been asked before it lays in a new route. I do want to be asked if, for example, heavy traffic makes an alternative faster. I also want to be asked if I've just missed the turn, but I never am. It either silently alters the route, or it stubbornly keeps trying to put me on the faster route. That latter problem can be solved with the (new to me) "Find alternative" command. There remains the problem where it without so much as a "by your leave" lays in a new course immediately after I've missed the turn. Sometimes this is good, but I'd prefer to be given the choice, and at an absolute minimum it should notify me when it changes a route.
The "Find alternative" sounds like the answer to my third case.

DougLap

Hi @NHA

Regarding your comment " I do want to be asked if, for example, heavy traffic makes an alternative faster." you can go into Settings/Route Planning on your GO6200 and select that you want' Ask me so I can Choose" under the heading ' When a Faster Route is available".

To get the best benefit for this you should select a Computerised voice and in Sounds and Warnings set to get Read Aloud in Warning Type.

You should be aware that the device only receives traffic data for a little over 50 miles Radius from your current position so you will not get advised of delays say 80 miles plus from where you are until you get nearer to them. On a recent 2 to 3 hour journey when I was a little over 1 hour from my destination the arrival time suddenly increased by 29 minutes because it had detected such a delay some 50 miles plus ahead. The unit will continually monitor the situation as there is always the chance that the delay may disappear or be reduced such that a change of route is not quicker or would be different. I guessed where the delay was and knew which way I would go and as I got within 5 or so miles of the alternative route I would have taken myself it offered me it as the faster route which reduced the delay by 22 minutes. If I ignore the advice and drive past the new turning then it will carry on with the original route but if I take the turning then it will recalculate and direct me along the faster route. I could have accepted the faster route when it first offered it and the route would be recalculated immediately to show it as my route.

Regarding Avoid Blocked Road this facility is provided so that as you come acrsos a blocked road which the device is not aware of you tell it and it then calculates a new route around the blockage.

Doug

YamFazMan

Hi
@NHA

NHA wrote: »

(Snip)I have the route planning configured as you suggest, but for the second case, I have never been asked before it lays in a new route. I do want to be asked if, for example, heavy traffic makes an alternative faster. I also want to be asked if I've just missed the turn, but I never am. It either silently alters the route, or it stubbornly keeps trying to put me on the faster route

Are you using a TTS (Text to speech) Computer Voice ??? They have a far greater vocabulary range than the recorded voice....

A while ago I owned a none Tomtom SatNav device....
It drove me crazy with its constant "Route" (Long pause) "Recalculating"

Tomtom HTML file... Changing your route
Here...http://download.tomtom.com/open/manuals/gox20x/html/en-gb/index.htm#Changingyourroute.htm

GO 6200 User Guide....
Here... https://help.tomtom.com/hc/en-gb/articles/360014295500-GO-6200-Wi-Fi-User-Manual

Stay Safe... ATB YFM

NHA

Thanks for the background on traffic re-routing. It seems to work as desired.
Thanks, now I know how to find alternate routes. It would be nice if the preview could be sped up, either with a speedup factor, or by fast-forwarding to the next turn, but otherwise it all looks good.
As near as I can tell, my device doesn't have TTS.

DougLap

Hi @NHA

Your device can use TTS.

In voices select. Computerised voice. If you cannot find one in the list of voices let us know and what language ie English U.K. with the voice selected and Voice control activated you can manage some actions verbally whilst driving.

Download the manual and you will find the information.

Doug

NHA

Oh, I am already using voices, and since it reads out the street names, I guess that's the TTS.

What I think I don't have is voice commands for address recognition (https://discussions.tomtom.com/en/discussion/794123/tts-voice-names). English in Switzerland isn't supported anyway.

NHA

Now that my ignorance of GO 6200 routing has been suitably relieved, my suggestion is reduced to the following. When I miss the turn, I don't want my device to silently lay in a new course. At the very least, it should inform me that it has done so. Better would be for it to ask me before doing so. Ideally these three possibilities could be configured to suit individual taste.