Engineering News

I guess I'm just an old coot, but I've never quite seen the appeal of GPS units for the masses. Sure, if you drive a constantly-changing delivery routes, or do real estate or other sales calls, etc. one would be handy. Or perhaps on vacation.

But how often to most people really vary from their usual routine? It's not like they need help finding their way to the local McDonald's that they've been to 10,000 times before. On those occasions where you know you're going somewhere unfamiliar, look at or print a map & directions from the Internet for basically free. Better than buying a $200+ dollar device that will spend most of its time in the glove compartment - assuming it isn't stolen.

I use a GPS routinely on regular routes for the ETA. I live near Austin, Texas, and traffic at times can be horrendous and highly variable. I like to know my ETA so that I can see if I'll be late and call ahead.

My GPS is a Garmin Nüvi and I don't like it one bit (except that it seems to "get" the idea of an ETA okay). As soon as I buy myself a Magellan I'm putting the Garmin in the microwave to put it out of my misery. The thing is riddled with bugs and doesn't have even the most obvious features you'd expect - like displaying the current time on the map and putting decimal points in the peak and average speed displays. I might see an average speed of, say, 392 MPH in city traffic. If only my car would perform so well!

I have a Magellan 3250 and my mom has a Garmin Nuvi, they both have bugs. I only use mine when I go on vacation for the most part, but otherwise it sits at home.

I got the Magellan because it was hackable so that it can play music, movies and run other mapping software like ozi explorer for hiking, along with other winCE applications.

I find the user interface on the Garmin better than the Magellan, but directions wise they are both very similar.

The Magellan has bugs as well and sometimes gives weird directions, which change to better directions after you reset it, this is mostly when you miss a turn.

Although lots of people use them, perhaps the technology just isn't mature enough to be as trusted as it already is.

On recent business trips to Brisbane I've printed out the Google map only to use the right way instead and have had to go and get colleagues who go the wrong way because of the GPS. Read the street directory and use a few grey cells, even if you miss a turn the result is only likely to be frustrating not dangerous.

Just one of many Brisbane examples some fellow Aussies will latch on to, was a Google map to get from Ipswich Road Rocklea to Kingsford Smith Drive Eagle Farm. Instead of going up Ipswich Road and across Storey Bridge, through Fortitude Valley and Newstead onto Kingsford Smith Drive (down river), its directions were Ipswich Road to Cornwall Street then on the South East Freeway to the city, then up river on Coronation Drive and I've forgotten how I was to turn back to go right over the top of Spring Hill, back down to the Valley, through Mayne to Breakfast Creek and finally onto Kingsford Smith Drive. It is a wonder it didn't direct me to Ipswich first then Mount Crosby, Mount Coot-tha, and Fernberg for good measure.

For the majority who don't know Brisbane, it turned a straight run into a zigzag then in the opposite direction and through some of the worst traffic snarls in town before doing a 180 and heading back down river. Not quite round the world in 80 days but half way around in 49 days maybe.

I hire cars frequently and always refuse the GPS option, I can get there quicker than work out how to use it and by using a map I actually learn something

The problems you describe are real, but mostly due to a badly programmed GPS unit. A few years ago I had a Blaupunkt unit in my VW and it was useless for any journey less than about 10 miles and was often lost in cities at the end of a journey.....

Swapping CDs for each country was another no no.....

My Tom Tom 700 has not displayed any such problems up to now (its mini harddisk has all of Europe on it!) and was over €2000 cheaper and is portable, so I can place it in any car that I wish to.....there are a batch of other features too that Blaupunkt could not deliver....I can also hide it from thieves or take it with me.....

Yeah Andy map quality and location resolution would be the villains i'd say.

Funny how news items have a habit of appearing in the middle of discussions, the QLD Govt announced yesterday they are equipping all Ambulances in the state with GPS units to try and combat ambulkances going to the wrong address.

Obviously the polititions have more faith than I do. I suppose if the Ambos use them constantly at least in larger centres they should learn how to dodge the pitfalls, Taxis already use them in Brisbane.

Great Now Emergency Crews and Taxi drivers won't know how to read a map to figure out where they are going either.

Maybe there should be a map reading test for anyone interested in buy a GPS unit.That way when the thing breaks at least they will still be able to figure out where they are supposed to be going.

Does anyone know if the Military still teaches their recruits how to use an old fashion compass and map before teaching them how to use a GPS unit? I seem to remember a unit or two getting lost in Iraq because they where following their GPS units instead of relying on their other training.

I think the key here is the 'aide' part of 'navigational aide' it is just a digital map in the simplest view of the GPS receiver.

I have about 10 of them kicking around here, I get them for review for Difflock magazine, and Magellan is right up there at the top, combine them with the National Geographic maps and your outdoor activities take on a whole new perspective. Surprisingly another good product is made by Delphi and combined with the traffic update option it has proven to be very useful.

For my trip navigation I use a ruggedized laptop mounted in my truck and a Magellan hand held when out hiking, both with Nat.Geo. maps.

Anything that increases heads down time in a car is dangerous.

Yes I agree, placement of the GPS or display screen is critical, just below the line of site, either to the left or right of the instrument cluster, is the best location best I have found.

Here in the UK a trial is ongoing because a lorry driver rammed into the back of a car killing a whole family (the father, mother and four young children), the reason was that the traffic on a motorway was stopped when the lorry driver hit the car while looking at the GPS!

He admits that he hadn't noticed that the traffic in front of him had stopped, thus proving that one must always watch the road not keep looking or doing anything else while driving in traffic!

Spencer.

I am sure that they do cause accidents as people look at the display too often and not at the road enough. I let my Tom Tom "tell me" what I should be doing and rarely need to check the display, therefore I can keep my eyes on the road.

I have had several GPS units, some built in, most were comple (and expensive) rubbish. Blaupunkt being the worst of all with few features, high price and expensive updates....never ever again.

My Tom Tom was (relatively) cheap, is full of useful features and gives generally good guidance. The English is sometimes quaint as is the German too......telling you to drive on the lefthand side of a 3 lane motorway to avoid taking the exit!!!!!! is a prime example.....

BUT, it often wins comparisons and is still the best I have ever had and is fully portable too.....

I have actually asked Tom Tom to make a special program for people towing caravans or driving lorrys/trucks, so as to stop what is mentioned above, but Tom Tom's support could not see the point or need.......and therefore did not do it!

It would appear that there is a strong case for such a program as the fastest method always finds the routes that would be fast for a car (we have few speed limits here!), is not as good for a caravan.......nor is the route short enough.......I need to keep an eye across the whole route and switch back into a shortest route program from time to time......

Its a shame that Tom Tom are SO short sighted!!!

You typed the words I wanted to say and since you beat me to it, you get the GA !

Cheers

Yes if people look at the screen that is a problem. Trusting it is a bigger problem, being sent out of your way is one thing, being directed up a one way street the wrong direction is another entirely and it happens regularly.

I totally agree with scotchdrnkr. The unit is not to be blamed but the idiot driving the vehicle. Good answer. To many times you see people sit and program and play with it while they are supposed to be driving. My Garmin is only active when I need it and not mounted 24 hrs to try and show everyone I own one. I know my way to work and back home. I use it as a tool and not a toy. I too, own a Garmin nuvi 360 and cannot give comment about other units on the market, but I have not had a days problem with mine. I have just always downloaded the Bios updates and upgrades. I own various map sets and it is a great tool to have if you travel.

I also agree with scotchdrnkr, stupid people will do stupid things with or without the GPS.

When driving in an unfamiliar area while using a printed map you will have to be concurrently looking at the paper to see where you are going, and scanning street signs to determine where you are. The GPS knows where it is and gives verbal instructions to let you focus on traffic.

When my daughter received her license the GPS was a tremendous help, she could concentrate on driving and leave the navigation to the GPS. Then again, the new generation is much more adept at multitasking than the rest of us.