Topic
Advice worth considering, not an instruction to obey
Live traffic changed the character of satellite navigation. A route that once stayed fixed for a whole journey is now revised continuously, using information gathered from thousands of other vehicles. A voice announces that a faster route is available; two minutes later the original route is preferred again.
Handled well, this is genuinely valuable. Congestion can be avoided, delays can be estimated, and plans can be adjusted before a hold-up becomes serious. Handled badly, it turns navigation into a series of hurried decisions taken at speed, on unfamiliar roads, for the sake of a few minutes.
The articles in this topic take the same view throughout: a rerouting suggestion is advice, and it deserves to be measured against the questions a satnav cannot answer. Can the manoeuvre be made safely from where the vehicle is now? Is the alternative suitable for this vehicle and this driver? Is the saving worth the additional workload?
They also look at where these services are heading, as dedicated devices, smartphone applications and vehicle displays increasingly work alongside one another rather than competing for the same dashboard.
Modern satnavs revise the route in real time. Is that helpful advice, or an unwanted backseat driver?
A companion look at how to weigh up a rerouted suggestion before accepting it.
Why a rerouted suggestion sometimes makes no sense from the driver's seat, and what to do about it.
How traffic, hazard and alert services are moving towards several connected systems working together.
Why more than half of drivers report that their device did not always warn them about the jam ahead.