Quality of Real-Time Traffic display
10-05-07, 02:33 PM
#31
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Attached is a picture of the real-time traffic display for southwest Houston. It shows multiple gaps in the traffic flow data - some of those are pretty large.
I've reported this problem to XM and Lexus. XM's technical support staff sounded like they were going to look into this problem - but haven't heard back from them in over a week. So far, it doesn't seem like XM is really prepared to provide support for their NavTraffic product. [And cancelling the XM subscription really isn't an option, since they are the only source for this information!]
The last suggestion from Lexus Customer Service was to have our dealer file a "Product Report" on the problem. I provided the dealer with a detailed list of every gap in the traffic flow data - in the southern half of Houston (it was a long list).
What may be complicating this situation is that it is difficult to pinpoint where the problem actually is - XM's transmissions, real-time traffic data provided to XM, software in the LS navigation system, incompatibility with the nav system's maps, ...
The real-time traffic flow data is available on www.traffic.com (which is evidently where XM gets their traffic data) - so the problem isn't in getting the traffic data from the local sensors.
It's sad that my cell phone has a better real-time traffic display than the LS!
If you are also seeing this problem in your area, contact your dealer, and see if they can also file a Product Report.
Perhaps if enough customers complain, Lexus will get this problem fixed (even if the problem is being caused by one of their partners - and not by the Lexus nav system).
I've reported this problem to XM and Lexus. XM's technical support staff sounded like they were going to look into this problem - but haven't heard back from them in over a week. So far, it doesn't seem like XM is really prepared to provide support for their NavTraffic product. [And cancelling the XM subscription really isn't an option, since they are the only source for this information!]
The last suggestion from Lexus Customer Service was to have our dealer file a "Product Report" on the problem. I provided the dealer with a detailed list of every gap in the traffic flow data - in the southern half of Houston (it was a long list).
What may be complicating this situation is that it is difficult to pinpoint where the problem actually is - XM's transmissions, real-time traffic data provided to XM, software in the LS navigation system, incompatibility with the nav system's maps, ...
The real-time traffic flow data is available on www.traffic.com (which is evidently where XM gets their traffic data) - so the problem isn't in getting the traffic data from the local sensors.
It's sad that my cell phone has a better real-time traffic display than the LS!
If you are also seeing this problem in your area, contact your dealer, and see if they can also file a Product Report.
Perhaps if enough customers complain, Lexus will get this problem fixed (even if the problem is being caused by one of their partners - and not by the Lexus nav system).
10-05-07, 06:49 PM
#32
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Bobp, I wonder if your Houston situation is similar to mine in Scottsdale where there is a whole part of the Freeway system through Scottsale that shows no traffic flow data. Below is excerpt from my post in another thread here that may have been more appropriate for this one. It may be worth exploring whether an update to the Nav software may be needed to get the coding for the flow data.
"Last week I too took advantage of the discount for resuming XM service and NavTraffic at $77 and $47.88 respectively for a year. I quickly found out though that the NavTraffic does not currently provide traffic flow (different colors for different speeds) for a significant part of the freeway system, at least for my 07 460L. I inquired of XM and received this response:
"Specific coding relating to the display of the traffic data is contained in the map database and is updated with the release of new map database updates. Therefore, if your map database is out of date, you may not be able to see all of the available traffic data available as part of the XM NavTraffic service."
I know Navteq provides flow information now for the freeway portion that I am missing in NavTraffic because that flow info is provided for free online at traffic.com. However it just started to show up there several months ago so maybe the XM response is correct and my Nav does not have the most current coding that will allow the flow information to appear in all areas where the information is available."
"Last week I too took advantage of the discount for resuming XM service and NavTraffic at $77 and $47.88 respectively for a year. I quickly found out though that the NavTraffic does not currently provide traffic flow (different colors for different speeds) for a significant part of the freeway system, at least for my 07 460L. I inquired of XM and received this response:
"Specific coding relating to the display of the traffic data is contained in the map database and is updated with the release of new map database updates. Therefore, if your map database is out of date, you may not be able to see all of the available traffic data available as part of the XM NavTraffic service."
I know Navteq provides flow information now for the freeway portion that I am missing in NavTraffic because that flow info is provided for free online at traffic.com. However it just started to show up there several months ago so maybe the XM response is correct and my Nav does not have the most current coding that will allow the flow information to appear in all areas where the information is available."
10-05-07, 07:43 PM
#33
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It's possible we have a map data base incompability.
That should be very easy to verify - by checking any of the new 2008 models - which would have more up-to-date map databases.
That's what I did when I tested a 2008 CTS - and it had exactly the same problem.
So either Cadillac is shipping their 2008's with old map data - or the lack of traffic flow data may not be solely due to map incompatibilit
I suggest you do what I did this week. Get in your car, take a picture of the incomplete map data, zoom in on the missing sections, and make a list of each missing section - listing the highway and the surface streets near the start and end of each gap.
I put all of that into a .pdf file - and e-mailed it to our Lexus dealer, who is submitting the Product Report to Lexus.
Even if this problem is being caused by Navteq's map, Traffic.com's data, or XM's transmission - we've all spent quite a bit of money on our LS's - which were advertised to have REAL-TIME TRAFFIC. The annual XM subscription fee is tiny compared to how much the navigation systems cost!
I've searched the Internet to find people complaining about the NavTraffic data quality - and surprisingly I couldn't find anyone complaining. Either the traffic data is working in almost every area - or customers have decided it's either not worth complaining about or they are resigned to it being incomplete.
If there is a problem - and if more people complained - maybe...
Good luck...
[I wish Lexus had an annual subscription for the map data. Other manufacturers also let you order the map updates online - but not Toyota or Lexus. GM has a subscription service.]
That should be very easy to verify - by checking any of the new 2008 models - which would have more up-to-date map databases.
That's what I did when I tested a 2008 CTS - and it had exactly the same problem.
So either Cadillac is shipping their 2008's with old map data - or the lack of traffic flow data may not be solely due to map incompatibilit
I suggest you do what I did this week. Get in your car, take a picture of the incomplete map data, zoom in on the missing sections, and make a list of each missing section - listing the highway and the surface streets near the start and end of each gap.
I put all of that into a .pdf file - and e-mailed it to our Lexus dealer, who is submitting the Product Report to Lexus.
Even if this problem is being caused by Navteq's map, Traffic.com's data, or XM's transmission - we've all spent quite a bit of money on our LS's - which were advertised to have REAL-TIME TRAFFIC. The annual XM subscription fee is tiny compared to how much the navigation systems cost!
I've searched the Internet to find people complaining about the NavTraffic data quality - and surprisingly I couldn't find anyone complaining. Either the traffic data is working in almost every area - or customers have decided it's either not worth complaining about or they are resigned to it being incomplete.
If there is a problem - and if more people complained - maybe...
Good luck...
[I wish Lexus had an annual subscription for the map data. Other manufacturers also let you order the map updates online - but not Toyota or Lexus. GM has a subscription service.]
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