GPS mapping data - road attributes

[Greg Masters]

If you have an autorouting GPS, you'll be familiar with the road attribute concept - ie the GPS must know which are one-way streets, where there is a no-right-turn etc etc.

I guess that the following letter in today's Times highlights a requirement for a new attribute:

"Sir, Following repeated broadcasts of major delays and traffic jams on French roads en route to our destination, Val-d’Isère, and despite my wife’s protestations, I decided to take an alternative route via Switzerland, calculated by my state-of-the-art GPS in-car computerised navigation system.
Some 26km from our destination and separated from it by Mont Blanc, I discovered that roads closed in winter do not appear electronically different from those which are open year-round.

The ensuing six-hour journey did not impress my family with the latest in map technology (letters, March 6).

Yours sincerely,
RICHARD SALISBURY"



Greg

 

[John Armstrong]

Attributes

While they're at it can they include road works and accidents as well?

 

[PanEuropean]

Well, God forbid that the ass-hole that wrote that letter should ever consider buying a Michelin map and checking the GPSR suggested route against the map.

FYI, the GPSR's will also suggest routes that include ferry crossings, where such a route makes sense - and it is incumbent on the driver to ensure that the ferry is operating at the time that they plan to navigate the route. It is also recommended that the driver stop and wait for the ferry boat to arrive before proceeding across the water.

Road works and accidents are reported on a new system that is presently in operation in Germany. It works like this:

1) You identify a destination and activate a route on your in-car navigation system (VW, BMW, or MB).

2) As you drive under overpasses, an antenna in the overpass polls your car via GSM phone, finds out what your destination and route is, and checks for road blockages, accidents, detours, etc.

3) If there is a problem, the lat/long of the problem and length of the necessary detour is sent to your car via SMS message, which is then passed from your car's handy installation to your car's navigation system.

4) The navigation system displays the problems on the display (as waypoint icons) and proposes an alternate route for you to take.

This system, known as 'Telematics', is a bit hit - in fact, VW think that within about 5 years, they may make as much profit off Telematics as they currently make from manufacturing cars. A subscription to the service is required (not to mention purchase of an OEM installed nav system, phone system, and ongoing purchases of up to date maps).

It is not much different from the ACARS system used to pass air traffic control clearances to aircraft in flight, and to display the updated route, etc. on the aircraft EFIS system.

PanEuropean

 

[Fanum]

Telematics is the work of the deviiiiiil.........don't get sold on it.......it's creeping death, big brother and the fleet manager's wet dream rolled into one.........

It's part of a raft of technology that is there, waiting like a mugger round the corner for us to let our guard down and then *BANG* it'll be in and we'll never be able to go back.....

NOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!







**Bleep Bleep unit 345634536a current reg user Roger Smith staff number 6574836a dept 34 daily log coords track enclosed file ref #345 max speed 112mph auto police report depatched drive time 3 hours 32 mins static time 5 hours 36 mins at location xyz abs activated twice file ref #234 g-force log file #2345 BOUNDARIES EXCEEDED in one section of nice road file ref #4563 14 cellular calls made for numbers and transcripts see log file 985 4 calls recieved for numbers and transcripts see log file 4908 tobacco gasses detected pensions dept advised Bleep Bleep End Daily Report**

 

[BurnieM]

Yes and No
Technology is neither good nor evil.

Too many uninformed news stories already say 'this technology is bad' when they should be saying 'this use of the technology is bad'.

It is safe to ignore the technology but essential to watch politicians and industry leaders like a hawk.