Interesting Email From Garmin......

gonor · Posted: Fri Mar 10, 2006 10:14 pm Post subject:

ETA is good, and does decrease / increase depending upon factors, like road traffic, speed.
Have used I3 in map mode only to get an idea of how far out the speedo is and its pretty easy to remember, if speedo indicates 80, i'm not doing that.
No real benifit to having shown all the time.
To quote an oft repeated phrase "for the money it's fit for purpose."

PaulB2005 · Posted: Sat Mar 11, 2006 1:09 pm Post subject:

OK here's something odd.

I've set up a simulated route I'm taking tomorrow - 4.5 hours 320 Miles. When it started it said Arrival 15:30. It now says 15.29. I'm going to keep it running basically because i want to run the batteries down before a recharge tonight.

It'll be interesting to see what time it "arrives"

2carkev · Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 4:36 pm Post subject:

Trajet · Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 8:10 pm Post subject:

2carkev · Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 8:49 pm Post subject:

Sorry if I appear to disagree with you all but If the i3 was able to 'remember' your driving habits, it would need to be able to process, adjust and store quite a lot of information about the way you drive. Personally I think it works in the same way as a programme such as autoroute and works out the ETA by looking ahead at the road speeds of the planned route.

I must agree with you that the ETA is spot on, but don't forget it is adjusting itself constantly from your current position to the destination.

If I am wrong then I will be very apologetic but also, very suprised!

bumpkin · Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 9:32 pm Post subject:

If it's capable of analysing your driving habits be very afraid as that's what the government would surely like to happen. Now that the technology is getting cheap enough expect it to be built into future cars with a NIP automatically being produced and posted for every infraction.... Rolling Eyes

I also doubt that the i3 is capable of storing information of this nature. The ETA is pretty good out if the box, I tend to average arrival within 5 minutes of the initial predicted ETA on most of my journeys so far.
_________________
Chas
Garmin i3, Quest & StreetPilot 2720 with GTM10

2carkev · Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 9:56 pm Post subject:

Thanks Chas, I was beginning to doubt myself!!

bumpkin · Posted: Sun Mar 12, 2006 10:58 pm Post subject:

Spenk · Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 1:41 am Post subject:

If it does estimate your ETA with reference to the speed of the roads that you are using, then it would be nice to know what speeds it uses (i.e. if you use Autoroute etc then you have the option of setting your average speeds for motorway, A road etc). I must admit though that the ETA does seem to be pretty accurate. On a long route I got stuck in traffic jams and it just kept adding time to the ETA so it was reclaculating all the time (mind you, it was quite depressing to know that I got to my destination nearly an hour and a half after it originally predicted I would get there Crying or Very sad

). On the subject of ETA / speed I think that I would like the option to be able to have it toggle through these values, together with total distance travelled so that you know how far in to the journey you are (now wait for a barrage of abuse from people who say if I wanted more functionality I should have spent more money Twisted Evil

).

Trajet · Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 4:14 pm Post subject:

With reference to the ETA, I firmly believe it 'learns' your driving speed. An example from when my i3 was first used on a long trip. The 85 mile trip included A, B, Dual carriageway and single track roads. The initial ETA when leaving home give a arrival time of some 40 minutes sooner that I would have expected having taken the route before. Of course the i3 ETA corrected itself as the journey progressed, however for the last part of the journey on the single track road the ETA was still over optimistic. (45 minutes over 20 miles is the norm, i3 ETA 25 minutes). However having made the same trip a number of times since, the 'starting' ETA appears to have 'learned' that driving on a single track road will be significantly slower than on a single carrigeway B road and accordingly gives me an accurate ETA at the start of my journey.

Trajet · Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 4:16 pm Post subject:

2carkev · Posted: Mon Mar 13, 2006 4:25 pm Post subject:

[quote="Spenk"]If it does estimate your ETA with reference to the speed of the roads that you are using, then it would be nice to know what speeds it uses (i.e. if you use Autoroute etc then you have the option of setting your average speeds for motorway, A road etc). quote]

from experience.... 70mph motorway, 60mph dual carriageway, etc..etc. I have found if I stick to the max (legal) speed of the road it is spot on. If I somehow!! stray over max, ETA reduces. However if i'm driving a truck regulated at 63mph (while staying on the car selection) the ETA increases.

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