Map updates. How often?

[waggle]

I live the Stockton area of California here in the USA and the maps appear to be at least four years out of date. How often are map updates released?

(Yes, I have been uploading my trips to try and altert the developers about the outdated maps in my area.).

[iankb]

I don't know who provides the map data for the USA but, for the UK, the best solution is to report the errors directly to Navteq. They have an online error-reporting mechanism. I believe that the minimum period to report errors, and have corrections validated and released into the navigation products is 18 months, but could be at least a year more. I think that Navteq actually have to drive around new roads with their track-logging vehicles before they will add them.
_________________
Ian

iPaq 2210
Globalsat BT-338
Seidio G2500 Amplified Vent Mount
CoPilot 6, GPS Tuner 4.2, Navio 3.01
BMW 330ci Sport

[waggle]

So what you're also saying is that uploading tracks is very nearly a waste of time?

[iankb]

Not necessarily. However, I expect that ALK don't pass the data on to Navteq quite as fast and frequently as when you post it directly to the Navteq site.

Also, I would have thought that the tracks were used to confirm or adjust the position of roads, rather than create new roads. When you post to the Navteq site, you have the opportunity to explain what the error is. Uploading a track does not provide any explanation as to what errors it represents, if any.
_________________
Ian

iPaq 2210
Globalsat BT-338
Seidio G2500 Amplified Vent Mount
CoPilot 6, GPS Tuner 4.2, Navio 3.01
BMW 330ci Sport

[waggle]

Hmmm, I just check Navteq and the problem area's in my home town that exist in CoPilot Live 6 are correct at the Navteq site.

I guess this begs another question then. How often does ALK get the new information from Navteq?

[iankb]

I'm guessing here, but I assume that you only ever get new map data with a major release. i.e. There won't be any new map data until CP7.

What they must do (presumably) is correct major bugs, such as accidentally setting the M6 to one-way, etc. However, this might be done by ALK in tweaking their copy of the map data, rather than Navteq supplying a completely-new set of map data.

I don't know about Navteq, but I seem to remember that map providers such as the Ordinance Survey would only provided new map data when a completely-new version of the software is released. I suspect that this is partly due to the way in which map data is sold whereby, apart from correcting major bugs, the data is probably sold to the software providers as one-off packages, with a large purchase price, and with no routine updates.

It's possible that the amount of work that is performed by ALK to massage the map data, and to test it through their routing algorithms would also make it impractical to apply patches.

From a software developer point of view, I know that things are never as simple as I would like them to be from a customer point of view.

I think that all navigation software providers suffer with long delays in getting and releasing up-to-date map data, and Navteq maps appear to be more up-to-date (in the UK at least) than any other data provider.
_________________
Ian

iPaq 2210
Globalsat BT-338
Seidio G2500 Amplified Vent Mount
CoPilot 6, GPS Tuner 4.2, Navio 3.01
BMW 330ci Sport

[PONDEROUS]

iankb wrote:

[sirhardi]

Minimum 4 years behind.
By us Zip code 92253 border 92201
There is a Home Depot over 10 yers, STILL not on thde map.
Copilots maping SUX

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