Just in using the online mapping services, I have found that the Tele Atlas is much better and accurate than NaviTech. At least in the areas I travel most.
This is in contrast to what many have said on forums such as this. Can anyone else share their findings?
Your observation is one that I wish more people would adopt. I'm not saying specifically that Tele Atlas is better, however you have made a great observation that one is better than others in the areas you most often travel.
Almost every day I read different posts, emails, and articles comparing Tele Atlas and NAVTEQ. Ultimately it comes down to what areas you travel in and which mapping company happens to have the best maps for that area.
Without having made any scientific tally of all of the people I talk to about it I would say that that might be slightly more people who think NAVTEQ is better in the USA and slightly more people who think Tele Atlas is better in most of Europe.
But again, as you mention it really comes down to each individual road. I can say that the town I live in is much better covered by Tele Atlas in terms of which roads are where. However I've found that the speed data (road classifications) are better from NAVTEQ in my area.
Here in North America most companies (Garmin, Magellan, etc) use NAVTEQ. TomTom uses Tele Atlas on most of their products but uses NAVTEQ on some like the TomTom RIDER. Cobra has switched from NAVTEQ to Tele Atlas. Pioneer will also reportedly be using Tele Atlas.
It is also worthy of pointing out that just because two manufacturers use the same companies doesn't mean they will come with the same maps. For example depending on which company most recently purchased new maps from the mapping company could make a difference in how accurate those maps are.
Addtionally, and I am putting this observation here because I don't know where else it would go, I have noticed that the GPS on the Honda Odessy is much "smoother" than the NUVI. They both use the NaviTeq maps but the Odessy is much nicer than the Nuvi 660.
Maps are just a part of a GPS kit. Images and "feeling" depend also by the CPU, the software which manage the maps and also by the quality of the screen.
I thought that I would chime in on this discussion on NavTEQ vs. TeleAtlas.
One road in my home town of Lafayette, Indiana, (Concord Rd) intersects with another road (IN-25) which itself intersects with another road (US-52) within 200ft of the intersection with Concord Rd. [Link to Google Maps representation of this intersection]
Because of the median on IN-25 leading 300ft from the intersection of US-52, iit is impossible to turn left onto IN-25 from Concord Rd, likewise it is impossible to turn left onto Concord Road from IN-25.
Prior to choosing my Magellan unit, I had the concern whether Auto navigators could comprehend junctions in which traffic could not turn into a valid direction. I tried a NavMan iCN550 (which the route simulation was easier to access without a manual) whose map data is provided by Tele-Atlas, and it created a route which followed the advertised diversion.
Due to my preference to having a navigator which can also act as a hands free unit & having text to speech, I opted for the Magellan Roadmate 6000T (NavTEQ map data) which, to my dismay, is unaware of the previously mentioned junction's restriction.
This leads me to one of two situations:
1) NavTEQ knows about the restrictions, Magellan doesn't care about it.
2) NavTEQ doesn't know or consider them important, and whilst TeleAtlas might be a little less up to date (although Tele-Atlas are more reachable to be updated by the public), they are more detailed concerning the conditions of the roads & junctions that they do reference.
In this case my best guess is that it is 2, NAVTEQ probably doesn't know about the median. I've checked some of the more recent datasets of NAVTEQ and all of them don't indicate a divide in the road there indicating a left turn would be possible (which obviously it is not).
You can see this illustrated with this route which uses NAVTEQ data although I'm not sure how recent that data is. You can even zoom in on the intersection and see the median.
At first i was going to say that perhaps mapquest just had an older dataset from Tele Atlas. But then I looked at the most recent data from Tele Atlas and they don't appear to show a median there either.... Weird.
Tim-- I think you're definitely right about NAVTEQ and Tele Atlas maps being more accurate in specific areas. With that said however, I get the sense that Tele Atlas does tend to include more detail, like schools for example, while NAVTEQ maps do not.
Although you need to be a little careful with assumptions like that. The mapping companies know about more POIs than are often included in GPS devices. For example there are some companies (the TeleType WorldNav series comes to mind) who sell the same GPS with different numbers of POIs loaded in them at different prices. So if a particular POI is or isn't listed can be the decision of the GPS manufacturer limiting how many POI to include and not necessarily if it exists in the mapping company's database.
Good point Tim, I was just saying when you see NAVTEQ and Tele Atlas maps side-by-side, the Tele Atlas ones seem to be a bit more detailed-- but that could very well be for certain areas and dependant upon what the GPS provider choses to include.
Exactly, you've got it. I can't tell you the number of times I've gotten into (sometimes heated) debates with people regarding this issue. Someone will say to me "Tele Atlas sucks because they don't have XYZ Street or ABC Store in their database". Often times I can show them (through MapInsight) that yes indeed Tele Atlas does have that data.... but their GPS has an older map or doesn't have that level of POIs installed.
Tim--well thankfully TomTom is well on its way to correcting these discrepancies so that consumers are getting the most up to date maps. I heard that they are offering free map updates to 510, 910 and ONE users which is great and it's only $49.99 for all other products. So hopefully now customers will be getting great maps AND a great product.
Thanks for clarifying Tim. I actually just heard today that Tele Atlas is expanding coverage to Saudi Arabia and Egypt which really goes a long way in showing how the company is really making strides to be compete in the mapping marketplace.
As a follow up to my experience in testing a NavMan device and seeing it correctly avoid a right turn only junction where it needed to turn left, I asked members on another forum who where discussing Auto-Nav units to test the same route on their units. The Nuvi (NavTeq) gives the same directions as my 6000T (NavTeq maps), whilst a Mio avoids the junction in question (TeleAtlas). Another point to the TeleAtlas believing more detail over being upto date supposition.
Joined: 13 Jan 2008 Posts: 5 Location: Auburn, AL, US
comments regarding your map review. Sat Jan 26, 2008 2:38 pm
I would like to thank you for your efforts in doing that review.
However, I think a review of navigation maps is woefully incomplete without a comparison of road acurracy!!!
I've been reading about this 'great debate' and doing some of my own research. Keep in mind that this is only for Alabama, but I've found that Navteq is far superior to TA in AL.
The two main areas I looked at were Auburn and Montgomery.
I have tested the following on three specific roads because these are roads I've found to be in error on EVERY teleatlas map, including the online updater. [though one road is 'there', online they don't mention or show road types, EG: paved, unpaved.]
Units I tested:
NAVTEQ UNITS - {heretofore known as NT}
Garmin eMap [c: 2001] {#1}
Garmin GPSV [c: 2003 w 2004 maps]{#2}
Garmin Nuvi 200 [7/07]{#3}
Navigon 2100 [1/07?]{#4}
NAVTEQ.com {#NTW}
Roads:
Auburn, AL.
Lee rd 82 [from shugg jordan to farmville]
All the NT sources show this road as PAVED
All the TA sources show this road as UNPAVED
NOTE: As far as I can determine, it's been paved for at least 15 years!
Glenn Ave east of University dr. past the airport to exit 57 {I85}
#1 and all the TA sources show this road as going straight past the south end of the airport.
All other NT sources correctly show this road taking a southward 'halfloop' detour around the airport extension.
NOTE: this road was moved in ~1997 to accomidate the runway extension at the airport.
MONTGOMERY, AL
Chadburn crossing [xing] at Taylor rd. south of Vaughn rd.
#s 1 and 2 [and CS6, 2004] show this road as stopping in the middle of a field, as do ALL TA sources, including TAW!
All other NT sources correctly show this road as being extended to join up with Taylor road. plus several adjoining roads show up correctly.
NOTE: This construction was completed in 2002.
Conclusion:
At least in my area [where I drive a lot] NT maps are FAR SUPERIOR to TA maps. TA maps show 10+ year old data. while NT maps are closer to 2 YO.
BTW: I have reported these and other errors to TAW. I haven't found any errors to report to NTW but will if I do.
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