TT1 Frustration

[devnull]

My new TomTom One came yesterday and I really want to like it. I love the features, build quality, and the smoothnes of it's operation. But after advance planning several trips with it today, I have to wonder if there's any hope at all for it's routing capabilities. I tried planning trips ranging from 25 to 250 miles, and each time the TT1 came up with routes that was no where near logical. IT skipped major roads to use other major roads that where out of the way. For one 100 mile trip that could be accomplihed with 4 turns from my house, the TT1 turned it into an approx 125 miles trek all over. Since it shows the roads, but chooses not to use them, I have to assume that the problem is in the routing engine. Like I say, I really like the unit itself, but if the routing isn't dependable it doesn't matter. Is there any chance of an update that will improve routing, or should I just return it while I still can?

 

[Sextant]

I would sugest trying to use Google Earth and Tyre to create Itineraries with waypoints along the route you want to take.

https://www.tomtomforums.com/showthread.php?t=2480&highlight=tyre

None of these devices are perfect and I suspect a human could pick a better route most of the time. However, if you really have no idea where you are it will get you where you want to be. It won't be perfect but it will get you there.

 

[46jimbo]

Out of curiosity, what version is your map? If it's v6.65 or v6.75, there is a lot of suspicion regarding the quality of the routing.

Personally, I've gone back to v6.50, even though it isn't as up to date.

 

[devnull]

It's got 6.65

 

[k24a]

TT1 Frustration.....

Devnull,

I know what you mean. I tried plotting a route that should've taken 10 hrs to drive, but instead, TT1 missed the most major highway and logical route to this city, and it calculated a 16 hr trip instead. I too am frustrated. I didn't buy this so I'd have to plan a route myself.

J.

 

[Sextant]

I think the issue with routing stems from the fact that the device doesn't understand that non highways have traffic lights, stop signs, and heavier traffic. It just does a simple connect the dots between two points without consideration that highway travel will be far faster than other roads. That's part of my theory anyway.

 

[devnull]

Not So Sure

...It just does a simple connect the dots between two points without consideration that highway travel will be far faster than other roads.

I could deal with that, but I've had select out of the way routes on streets that are identical to those that would be a better choice. For example, I live dead center in a square mile bordered by identical 4 lane roads. My house is accessable from the N, E, & W via identical residential streets. The TT1 always tries to bring me home from the W side of the square mile, evan if approaching from the E. It show those other roads & streets on the map, it just doesn't use them

 

[Sextant]

I could deal with that, but I've had select out of the way routes on streets that are identical to those that would be a better choice. For example, I live dead center in a square mile bordered by identical 4 lane roads. My house is accessable from the N, E, & W via identical residential streets. The TT1 always tries to bring me home from the W side of the square mile, evan if approaching from the E. It show those other roads & streets on the map, it just doesn't use them

I think that's falling under the problems people are having with the current maps. Everyone is hoping for a new update soon that will fix this. Lots of folks revert to the previous version, because although it is not as current the routing works better. You may want to try that.

 

[ChrisW]

Recalculating routes

Frequently I just followed a route that I know to be better rather than listen to my TT. Sometimes the behavior of this is weird.

I appears that when you deviate from its planned route, it doesn't necessarily recalculate a new, fresh route. Instead, some weight seems to go to maintaining its current plan, so it tries to get you back to intersecting with the original route.

The reason I think this is that I'll reach a point where the previous route should be obviously inferior to the route I'm taking myself. So I'll reach over and tell the TT to recalculate its route. And sometimes when it does this, it changes its mind, so that it's now in agreement with me.

The only expectation I can see is that it likes so much the route it originally calculated, that it just keeps trying to get back onto that route, rather than starting from a clean slate.

 

[GAW]

I would suggest to all that you check how you have told the TT to plan routes. It has been well documented that if you tell it shortest route, weird things will occur. If you accidentally had it avoiding freeways - that will produce strange results also. The "always plan fastest" has generally worked ck for me. Also, it works better now with the updated free maps then with the old maps and versions.

As for hanging on to the original route after you head off on a different one - it will try to get you back to the original one (unless you have had it plan an alternate to avoid something) until the time involved to return to the original route is less than a newly calculated route - then it switches over.

I have done it to my 910 many times due to changes in plans for any number of reasons - usually traffic. I have never had it re-plan a route to avoid traffic on the go, as the unit screen is too small and the brightness and contrast also too low to safely oi it on a busy road.

 

[Wiley]

I really like the unit itself, but if the routing isn't dependable it doesn't matter. Is there any chance of an update that will improve routing, or should I just return it while I still can?

Any difference between "Fastest" and "Shortest" routes?

The "Shortest" route will often take you on a cross-country tour...with that "connect the dots" method that you suspected.

If you're getting bad results with "Fastest", it is VERY likely that the routing engine is the culprit. I've had a big change of mind that the maps are the primary cause for concern. Since the 6.560 firmware update, routing accuracy definitely degraded. From my perspective, until they improve the engine, no new map versions are going to improve the poor routing performance.

It would REALLY be nice to know if TomTom even suspects that they are having problems. Some encouragement from the manufacturer would go a long way toward keeping veteran and new users. It's not a good situation and it is getting worse as potential new customers hear the buzz about TomTom from cranky customers' word of mouth, and at forums like this one. New TT products are doomed if the old ones don't delight the current customers. Period!

For sure, TomTom simply can't sustain their market position if they don't beat the competition with accurate firmware. The "Bling" technology mindset will only take them so far.

 

[devnull]

I've been using fastetst route. I tried recalculating with shortest route and did indeed get even worse results. In one case, the TT1 came up with 3 strange routes before I could force it into the logical route (which is also the same route that Mapquest produces). The TT1 showed the forced route to be both shorter and faster than any of the original three. I'm going to play with it a little more over the weekend, but I suspect there's a Nuvi in my futre