TomTom for iPhone - TRAFFIC

[prominence]

How well does TomTom Traffic compare to Navigon's Traffic? Navigon's traffic does not function well at all here in Columbus, OH... I end up using INRIX's traffic app before work each morning to check for accidents..

Is TomTom traffic better than Navigon's? If so, why? Looking for insight into those of you who have both, or at least anyone who can speak to the taffic function in TomTom being on par with current accidents and rerouting properly.

 

[mstrze]

You know that you have free traffic, compiled from all users of Google Maps (and from local DOT sources) on your iPhone already. On roads not wired with sensors, if you zoom-in on surface streets, mobile users using the various Google Maps apps are constantly sending travel/traffic info back to Google's servers. Therefore, you have real-time traffic info for not only the main highways, but surface streets as well.

Of course, this won't show you accidents, but it will show you where the backups are. I have never seen any issues with it either. It's remarkably accurate here in Houston.

 

[cavemonkey50]

I've used both Navigon and TomTom's traffic, and without a doubt TomTom's traffic is better.

To start, TomTom's traffic pulls traffic information from INRIX and other TomTom live enabled devices who are on the road, where Navigon only uses INRIX. When rerouting TomTom has IQRoutes, so it knows what the expected road speeds are and can suggest more accurate reroutes.

If having better traffic information wasn't enough, the way TomTom presents the traffic is way better. Navigon only has a little square in the top left that changes depending on the traffic (grey for incidents but no delay, orange for ~5 min, and red for ~10+ min). You can click on the square to see what the incidents are, but the display isn't that easy to read while on the road due to small text sizes and weird icons. TomTom, on the other hand, has a bar that can expand out in the GPS view to see more about the upcoming traffic, which is extremely easy to read while navigating. The GPS voice also announces what the current delay time due to traffic is, and provides audible prompts if there are better routes or if driving through the traffic is quicker.

 

[navguy]

... stop making TomTom sounds so good!?! ... i'm waiting for a Regional option from TomTom ... but for now, Navigon/INRIX in Chicago is pretty accurate

 

[MBHockey]

I've used both Navigon and TomTom's traffic, and without a doubt TomTom's traffic is better.

To start, TomTom's traffic pulls traffic information from INRIX and other TomTom live enabled devices who are on the road, where Navigon only uses INRIX. When rerouting TomTom has IQRoutes, so it knows what the expected road speeds are and can suggest more accurate reroutes.

If having better traffic information wasn't enough, the way TomTom presents the traffic is way better. Navigon only has a little square in the top left that changes depending on the traffic (grey for incidents but no delay, orange for ~5 min, and red for ~10+ min). You can click on the square to see what the incidents are, but the display isn't that easy to read while on the road due to small text sizes and weird icons. TomTom, on the other hand, has a bar that can expand out in the GPS view to see more about the upcoming traffic, which is extremely easy to read while navigating. The GPS voice also announces what the current delay time due to traffic is, and provides audible prompts if there are better routes or if driving through the traffic is quicker.

Absolutely 100% false. Navigon also pulls live data from users.

 

[dndbrown]

TomTom in Washington DC

I used the traffic add-on for TomTom in the Washington/Baltimore/Richmond area last week and I was pretty impressed. It rerouted me several times. I checked it with the traffic on the standard map and they matched. I feel it got me to my destination the fastest way.

 

[cavemonkey50]

Absolutely 100% false. Navigon also pulls live data from users.

Good catch, but I'm going to argue that at the moment TomTom's "Floating Car Data" is superior to Navigon's. Navigon isn't in the stand-alone PND market in the United States, and therefore only the iPhone, Windows Mobile, and Android devices submit traffic flow data. TomTom has stand-alones like the 740 Live, which are running all the time submitting traffic data (when on), even when the user isn't actively navigating.

I don't mean to sound like a TomTom fanboy, but just speaking from personal experience, TomTom's traffic has worked better for me. I live in State College, PA (not an official INRIX city), and Navigon didn't have coverage of anything but the nearby Interstate. Being a college student, I frequently drive home to Allentown, PA (which is an INRIX city) and did manage to get caught in traffic a few times before reaching the Interstate. When I drove home this past week, TomTom identified a traffic situation before the Interstate, something I never saw from Navigon.

Furthermore, I ran into a few situations with Navigon when I drove into a no cell coverage area (there are a few along I-80) where Navigon would attempt to check for new traffic and fail checking, then never attempt to recheck. I would have to manually view the traffic and click the status bar for Navigon to start actively checking again; something which I didn't find out until I got stuck in 60+ min traffic over the Christmas break.

Anyway my point is, if you live in an INRIX coverage city, the traffic data should be comparable between Navigon and TomTom. Outside of INRIX coverage, I think TomTom clearly has an advantage that I've seen in my own navigating experiences.

 

[swiftbmx]

I haven't tried Navigon's traffic but just purchased Tomtom and their traffic about a week ago. I used it in NYC and Long Island last weekend. I found it dead on! It was within 120 yards of where they said traffic would be. I hit the "minimize delays" options and it rerouted me local and probably saved me 15-20 mins. I used it again the other day and it rerouted me off Southern State Parkway due to an accident, merged me back on after the accident. $20 / year and already got my money's worth in my opinion.

 

[LincolnsiPod]

I'm ready to put Navigon's traffic updates to the test this weekend.

For those who had good success with Navigon, what routing profile did you use? I'm wondering if the way it reroutes you around traffic is also affected by the routing profile you chose. I'm going to use Fastest just to be safe.

Since TomTom and Navigon both work from the same INRIX data, I'll presume it's a matter of which app bests processes the data and reroutes you intelligently enough.