Well, I was certainly surprised, not to mention learned something new today!

Even at 8 months, I still like using some of the features, even though I don't need to, like the Nav system. For my long commute, I use it, even though I know exactly where I'm going and how to get there (And about four alternate routes for getting around construction). And every time, it gives me the same route as the shortest time route from home; 21 mile to I-94, I-94 down to Michigan Ave, then get off, and go down to the University. I concur. Once I get on I-94, I set the Cruise Control at 65 MPH, and relax for the next 45 minutes.

Today, however, for some reason, there was a tremendous traffic jam, I spent several miles slugging along in EV, with the ICE barely on at times. Nearly scaring me was the Nav voice, telling me that I'll be making a slight right onto I-96. I look, and see that it's diverted me, onto I-96, to M-39 (Southfield) freeway, down to Michigan Ave. Now, this is a route I used to take, and was planning on doing that anyway, but it was quite shocking to see that it would seem that the Nav system figured out I wasn't moving very fast, and re-routed me with a new, faster route.

Pretty cool, IMHO. And to think, there was that article about some new color coded Nav system that would tell you what traffic was like up ahead!

 

I never read about that in any of the books about the NAV system. That's pretty neat.

 

I have noticed that those nifty features only work in some areas though. Locally we do not have any one way road information and some of the services information is very outdated.

In the "big cities" Santa Rosa, Sacramento though all that stuff is in there.

Chris Brown

 

Strangely enough, it routed me that alternate way again today, on it's own. Traffic was moving pretty well to, but there was some slowdown before I hit I-96, so I used the alternate way again.

 

Hmm...... I've had similar situations.... but I don't think it is really an "intelligent" system.

MAYBE ( this is just a guess ) if you use the "find shortest time route" function, and there are two routes that are very similar ( like 45 min vs. 47 minutes ) and the 45 minute route isn't moving... and you've used up that 2 minutes of "advantage" by standing still, then... perhaps... it becomes a "tie" between the 2 routes, and it switched to the other?

I can't exactly describe it... and I do not think this is an actual "feature"... but yes, I've had this happen also... probably just a fluke.

Who knows?

Now... if you use the "find shortest distance" feature, there should always be, just one correct way to go....

-John

 

The "shortest distance" mode is pretty strange. I've used mine a lot, and it tries to use roundabout routes rather than the shortest even when the shortest is requested. Further, when I take a shorter route than the one it found, the trip distance shown falls, and the NAV system adapts and all is well until the next chance for it to go out of the way on a bigger or faster or prettier road. Who knows what it is doing? But it isn't the shortest route, not even the shortest route in its data base.