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TomTom - Tele Atlas Mapshare Explored
Article by: Darren Griffin
Date: 30 Aug 2010
 I recently happened across an interesting article on a blog site that covers some of the technology and processes behind the TomTom/Tele Atlas MapShare program.
In the article, blog author Mike Dobson speaks with Patrick McDevitt, VP Community Mapping for TomTom.
Those of you who use MapShare will doubtless wonder why changes take so long to be reflected in the map releases. Mike's article explains in some depth how TomTom/Tele Atlas use the data, the process they follow and the steep learning curve that came with the move into community sourced data territory.
It's an interesting read and one that I'm sure many of you will find interesting. Although the data discussed is from the US, it's clear that the issues faced will be identical for map corrections on this side of the pond.
The full article can be found on Mike's excellent blog site at http://blog.telemapics.com/.
| Comments
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 Posted by Privateer on Tue Aug 31, 2010 11:10 am |
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Bo Peep bought me a TomTom 730T in October 2008. In May 2009 I thought that I would buy the updated maps and also a year's subscription to map update. At this point I became interested in TomTom's MapShare project. So full of hope I spent a lot time submitting loads of updates and corrections. I also gave my consent to allow the company to use my anonymous GPS data to improve the Tele Atlas map database.
I keep records of all of my submissions and I have not found any of my alterations in any of the later maps, even though most of them can be verified by Google Maps satellite view. I have therefore stopped submitting anything to TomTom / Tele Atlas as it's a waste of time as far as my submissions have proved. I'm sure that I'm not the only person that hasn't had their updates included in the later maps.
| Mike Dobson Wrote: | | (Patrick) McDevitt indicated that the initial skepticism at Tele Atlas regarding the potential quality of the MapShare data soon transformed into intrigue over the data’s possibilities and eventually evolved to evangelism. While Tele Atlas understands that there are limitations to the data supplied by MapShare, they also believe that it is an exceptional tool for identifying change detection, especially for map updates that are hard to discover otherwise. |
Not as far as my records in the UK have shown.
| Mike Dobson Wrote: | | Pat indicated that it took Tele Atlas most of twelve months to understand how to use crowdsourcing to advantage the Tele Atlas map database. By 2009, TA felt that they knew how to use the crowdsourced data and added the technique to their standard arsenal of map compilation and updating tools. |
My submissions were done in mid 2009 so why did they not take and use my information?
From my own experience, I am very sceptical of TomTom's MapShare project. I have heard that other people in the UK have had better success but if TomTom can't be bothered to send an automated email detailing the corrections then how do we know that TomTom have even received the updates when the unit is connected to TomTom Home?
| DennisN Wrote: | | TT Mapshare NEVER. |
I agree with DennisN on the value of TomTom's MapShare - it's useless! It could have been so much better if TomTom had actually taken notice of all of the submissions!
Regards,
Robert.
iPhone 6s Plus, iOS 14.0.1: iOS CamerAlert v2.0.7
TomTom GO Mobile iOS 2.3.1; TomTom (UK & ROI and Europe) iOS apps v1.29
Garmin Camper 770 LMT-D |
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| Posted by AliOnHols on Fri Sep 03, 2010 4:35 pm |
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If I read TeleMapics Mike Dobson's write-up correctly it appears that TeleAtlas are not only able to use the information as supplied by MapShare contributors but are also to use hidden information contained in route traces which contain data such as speed, direction, altitude, etc. etc. These route traces are not accessible to us users. Have we ever had access to them in previous NavCore versions?
This frustrates me. Why do we TT users have to resort to hacks, work-arounds and 3rd party apps to supplement our devices with features that all ready exist on our machines?
I was aware that TT tried to prevent us from using 3rd party applications, but I was not aware that they have engineered out a function that does already exist.
Why do this? It beggars belief 
Not a Happy AliOnHols at the mo.
Garmin Nuvi 2599
Android with CamerAlert, OsmAnd+, Waze & TT Europe.
TomTom GO 730, GO 930, GO 940 & Rider2.
SatMap Active 10 & 20. |
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| Posted by mikealder on Fri Sep 03, 2010 4:46 pm |
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| AliOnHols Wrote: | | Have we ever had access to them in previous NavCore versions? |
The files are available from the device but not in a format understood by any PC based application, the big plus point though is that the GPS data relating to position is no longer locked (snapped) to the map, this lets them find mapping errors/ road changes very quickly, it also means the TomTom units can be used for GeoCache based activities as the position displayed is a true position rather than snapped to a map that might have been wrong - Mike
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| Posted by AliOnHols on Fri Sep 03, 2010 5:03 pm |
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Many thanks for the information mikealder. I agree with your comment about GeoCaching so long as you are using a 3rd party app, pity the charge life of the TT battery does not make it feasible though.
Sorry, I don't mean to be negative but that article is a real downer for me.
Garmin Nuvi 2599
Android with CamerAlert, OsmAnd+, Waze & TT Europe.
TomTom GO 730, GO 930, GO 940 & Rider2.
SatMap Active 10 & 20. |
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