Garmin Digital Traffic service will end June 2021

Kremmen · Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2021 8:32 am Post subject:

When the digital broadcasting Tpeg went down a year or so ago I watched as the providers and frequencies list was being scanned.

Neither DAB nor FM was being picked up. I thought that FM (TMC RDS) should have cut in as a backup. It didn't, zero traffic.

TMC is absolute pants.I used it for a few years before Garmin released TA traffic. I ran both side by side as I had a separate TMC device.

From my own experience RDS is about half an hour out of date. On the M25, in the peak, that can mean the tail of a jam being 5 or so miles wrong. The high number of times RDS told me the jam started at J13 or J14 and in fact it was right back to J11.
Inrix digital got it right but RDS was always wrong.

What I can't find is - what is the difference between Garmin Smartlink and Garmin Drive. Do they both use viaMichelin or is the newer app a better provider, like Inrix ?
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Viofo A119 V3

sussamb · Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2021 11:56 am Post subject:

Agreed, TMC isn't good. As for Smartlink and Drive I can't imagine Garmin using different providers, but this is Garmin Very Happy

There is some info here

https://discover.garmin.com/en-GB/traffic/
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BigJohnD · Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2021 11:58 am Post subject:

It's all very confusing.

I thought Garmin were linked with INRIX who, being in partnership with the Highways Agency and Network Information Systems Limited (NISL), transmitted traffic data via ClassicFM who transmit nationally on both DAB and FM and are part of Global Radio, who in turn are big European broadcaster.

It is sad Garmin are stopping this service. I found it inconsistent, either brilliant or next to useless, which maybe a factor, but I suspect the multiplex owners are finding that there is low usage, with Waze/Google Maps/Apple Maps (recently overhauled)/ViaMichelin on 4G data being more popular, especially as maps and associated info can be easily cast on to dashboard displays of modern cars.

I'm not sure where ViaMichelin fits in with Garmin. They stopped making portable SatNavs a long time ago, reverting to their core information business of maps, places of interest and restaurants. They seem to be competing with Google Maps. I beleive ViaMichelin has strong links with TomTom, who provide ViaMichelin with maps and traffic data.

All in all, it's a bit of a hotch potch as systems compete and the future of the portable sat nav is declining.

Kremmen · Posted: Tue Apr 13, 2021 1:37 pm Post subject:

I agree.

Before I got a Garmin with the TA digital cable I was using a Garmin via Smartlink. When I looked at the traffic data on my phone a lot of it had some initials at the end of it like (MAAM) or something like that.

When I looked it up it was viaMichelin data.

More to the point, and whag is concerning is:

Some months ago I left my DS61 in TA cable mode which uses Inrix and alongside that I ran my 2599 via Smartlink.
The reported traffic was definitely different. For example TA Inrix traffic shows the M4 smart motorway roadworks but the Smartlink traffic didn't.
On one journey Smartlink was showing a red bar jam at M4 J3, Inrix wasn't. When I got there, no jam, Inrix was right.
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DashCam:
Viofo A119 V3

Kremmen · Posted: Mon May 17, 2021 5:49 pm Post subject:

The latest TomTom 2021 SatNav's are all now traffic via smartphone only.

So both Garmin and TT have ditched their independent traffic.

= may as well stick with Garmin, I see no point in switching.
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DashCam:
Viofo A119 V3

Kremmen · Posted: Wed Jun 02, 2021 9:52 am Post subject:

Don't forget - end of this month, Digital traffic ends and we are all reliant on SmartLink Sad

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DashCam:
Viofo A119 V3

T5YOB · Posted: Fri Jun 11, 2021 7:03 pm Post subject:

Must admit the traffic updates on my Garmin via smartlink are hit and miss at the best of times. I find Waze the best for traffic etc.

Kremmen · Posted: Sat Jun 12, 2021 5:26 am Post subject:

I'll see how it goes but hopefully I'll be changing cars in a few months to one with full phone to head unit connectivity so my Garmin will more than likely not be fitted as I will be able to Android Auto Google Maps to the large head unit.
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DashCam:
Viofo A119 V3

sussamb · Posted: Sat Jun 12, 2021 6:51 am Post subject:

Good luck with that. My wife has one on her Skoda and it's OK for a basic navigation feature but nowhere near as good as my Garmin.
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Where there's a will ... there's a way.

BigJohnD · Posted: Sat Jun 12, 2021 11:01 am Post subject:

Kremmen · Posted: Sat Jun 12, 2021 12:13 pm Post subject:

That's how I understand it.

The navigation is performed on the phone and transferred to the headunit. Google Maps seems quite good at quick traffic issues and that's my main concern with Garmin Smartlink, Inrix quality it ain't from my previous testing.

Smartlink hasn't even got the M4 roadworks that are 2 years+ now. Inrix via TA do.
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DashCam:
Viofo A119 V3

Kremmen · Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2021 6:46 am Post subject:

My next journey will be Friday so I suppose I need to setup Smartlink Sad

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DashCam:
Viofo A119 V3

PaulWH · Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2021 6:51 am Post subject:

Presumabably this change means that you can now use a standard USB to USB Mini cable instead of the larger USB Mini to 12 volt cable.

Kremmen · Posted: Mon Jun 28, 2021 7:43 am Post subject:

Yep, TA cable no longer required for traffic.
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DashCam:
Viofo A119 V3

PaulWH · Posted: Tue Jun 29, 2021 3:41 pm Post subject:

Thanks, that will reduce the clutter a bit as I will no longer need a bulky "12v double adaptor" for the satnav and dash cam, I can now get a couple of shorter USB cables.

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