Vagaries of the RAV SatNav

[Saxacat]

The map routing on the RAV is really beginning to bug me; it seems to constantly choose slower routes, for apparently no reason. I have fast routes selected by default.

I recently travelled from Northumberland to Liverpool. My normal route is A1 to Newcastle, A69 to Carlisle and then M6. The SatNav tried to take me via Alston (a very scenic route but invariably slower); after ignoring the SatNav and staying on the A69 (also ignoring various U-turn suggestions) I shaved 10 minutes off the estimated journey time.

On the return journey, the SatNav had me leaving the M6 and going via the A66, again ignored, again some 10 minutes saved on the journey time. It tried several times to take me off the A69 and cut the corner, missing out Newcastle, each time a very scenic route, but a longer journey time.

Travelling up from Newcastle today, it routed me onto the A697, I ignored it and again the A697 routing was slower.

In all the above incidents, there was no traffic issues or road works.

Now fortunately, I know the above routes and only I’m using the SatNav for traffic info, but if I was unfamiliar with the route, I would end up taking slower routes. This is very frustrating, as I have no trust in the car’s routing info and it means having to use my phone and Android Auto when I’m driving somewhere unfamiliar.

 

Has anyone else experienced similar issues?

(I have the 2022 v1 maps)

[Rosgoe]

Just a thought is the checkbox ticked under settings to avoid motorways?

[Saxacat]

16 minutes ago, Rosgoe said:

Just a thought is the checkbox ticked under settings to avoid motorways?

No, Highways, Tunnels and Tolls are all set as acceptable.

[philip42h]

I believe that the system uses the RDS traffic information system broadcast on FM to identify hold-ups and re-routes accordingly. Unfortunately RDS seems to be late in both reporting hold-ups, and more importantly, reporting all clear again. So, yes, if you know your route you can easily decide whether you want to follow advice or not. And every once in a while, it'll be right and you'll drive yourself into a jam ...

I can live with that and, by and large, the sat nav selected route always gets me to my destination - even if it isn't always the best route.

I do find it rather stubborn and slow to re-route properly. If I decide to go a different way it spends absolutely ages trying to get me to turn around and get back onto it's route - which is very rarely the best plan!

And then, every now and again, it decides that I shouldn't go home! Instead, it tries to route me to somewhere else. One day I'll follow directions and see where I actually end up, but, so far, I've just ignored it and driven home. Again, this may be RDS telling it that there's a road closed when there isn't ...

But, by and large, it works perfectly adequately for me. 🙂

[Hayzee]

I've found Google maps (Android Auto) to be much more accurate in determining appropriate routes, particularly as it offers and illustrates options. Also a major plus of using Google is that you reap the benefit of real time traffic flow information from all those phones with Google accounts in vehicles uploading information continuously. This overcomes the tardiness experienced with RDS. Would love to see Toyota introduce Android/Google as their mapping/infotainment system like Volvo have done recently.

[ernieb]

10 hours ago, Saxacat said:

The map routing on the RAV is really beginning to bug me; it seems to constantly choose slower routes, for apparently no reason. I have fast routes selected by default.

I recently travelled from Northumberland to Liverpool. My normal route is A1 to Newcastle, A69 to Carlisle and then M6. The SatNav tried to take me via Alston (a very scenic route but invariably slower); after ignoring the SatNav and staying on the A69 (also ignoring various U-turn suggestions) I shaved 10 minutes off the estimated journey time.

On the return journey, the SatNav had me leaving the M6 and going via the A66, again ignored, again some 10 minutes saved on the journey time. It tried several times to take me off the A69 and cut the corner, missing out Newcastle, each time a very scenic route, but a longer journey time.

Travelling up from Newcastle today, it routed me onto the A697, I ignored it and again the A697 routing was slower.

In all the above incidents, there was no traffic issues or road works.

Now fortunately, I know the above routes and only I’m using the SatNav for traffic info, but if I was unfamiliar with the route, I would end up taking slower routes. This is very frustrating, as I have no trust in the car’s routing info and it means having to use my phone and Android Auto when I’m driving somewhere unfamiliar.

 

Has anyone else experienced similar issues?

(I have the 2022 v1 maps)

You're not the first to report very similar experience with the built in Sat Nav the routing, for whatever reason, is very poor. I just do not use it at any time and default to Android Auto/Waze. Waze is my go to app for navigation, the real time user updates on the traffic/road conditions/accidents etc., produce the best possible results.  At the same time I can press the 'speak' button on the steering wheel and search 'Google', typically about weather at my destination.

[Hybrid21]

Historically satnav has never really been 100% dependable no matter what vehicle your in.

I use mine only for information and would never follow it's instructions to my destination, as I'd only be asking for a stressful trip 😃

[Flatcoat]

I have same problems. We are currently in Austria and on the way here the routing was simply utterly bizarre at times. On the way to Wolfgangsee it took us through the middle of Salzburg and prior to that took us off the Autobahn to follow a country road for a half hour just to join the same autobahn at the next junction. In the UK I can be driving along and the road literally disappears - and I am talking about main trunk roads. It has got to the point IMO it cannot be relied upon. 

[Roger_N]

It will not except a route you upload to it without needing to change it to an alternative route.

[Saxacat]

15 hours ago, philip42h said:

I believe that the system uses the RDS traffic information system broadcast on FM to identify hold-ups and re-routes accordingly. Unfortunately RDS seems to be late in both reporting hold-ups, and more importantly, reporting all clear again. So, yes, if you know your route you can easily decide whether you want to follow advice or not. And every once in a while, it'll be right and you'll drive yourself into a jam ...

I can live with that and, by and large, the sat nav selected route always gets me to my destination - even if it isn't always the best route.

I do find it rather stubborn and slow to re-route properly. If I decide to go a different way it spends absolutely ages trying to get me to turn around and get back onto it's route - which is very rarely the best plan!

And then, every now and again, it decides that I shouldn't go home! Instead, it tries to route me to somewhere else. One day I'll follow directions and see where I actually end up, but, so far, I've just ignored it and driven home. Again, this may be RDS telling it that there's a road closed when there isn't ...

But, by and large, it works perfectly adequately for me. 🙂

Philip,

You could be right, but I find it hard to believe that it is just RDS lag, the time change is instant once its accepted you haven't followed its route, of course it could be a lag in implementing an RDS update.

This is the worst system I've ever come across. In the past I've used a Garmin, in the States a few years ago I used a Magellan, both did a good job. My old Volvo used a system with DVDs which while out of date map wise, still provided good routing.

At the end of the day it is what it is; thankfully there is Android Auto, I am just surprised that Toyota doesn't do better in an area like this.

[nlee]

I get the feeling most manufacturers have more or less given up on developing SatNavs with the advent of Android Auto and CarPlay. My last car, land rover, was just as useless but that didn't have Android Auto so I ended using a cradle for the phone. 

For what it's worth, I've been using TomTom Amigo on Android Auto for a while now and I'm impressed with it. It lacks a few additional features of the paid for TomTom app but it keeps developing and is getting very close to it's bigger brother. You obviously get all the good TomTom routing, traffic, incidents and cameras. It's free but doesn't include offline maps (but behaves the same as Google Maps in that it downloads the route initially). I can see it being the go to TomTom app in the future with both being rolled into one, probably with a free online version and a subscription for offline maps. I certainly gets a lot more development updates than the paid for app.

[BigR1ch]

TBH, with AA/ACP why do we actually need a Sat Nav in the car?
Fomr my point of view had AA/ACP been available at the point of purchase i wouldn't have ticked the Sat Nav option and just used AA/ACP, whichis much better.

[philip42h]

17 minutes ago, BigR1ch said:

TBH, with AA/ACP why do we actually need a Sat Nav in the car?
Fomr my point of view had AA/ACP been available at the point of purchase i wouldn't have ticked the Sat Nav option and just used AA/ACP, whichis much better.

I can understand that point of view, and it certainly seems to be the direction of travel - better support of AA/ACP and drop the sat nav all together.

Then, do you need GPS in the car at all? The eSOS system and trip tracking uses it but one could design a solution that relied on GPS via an attached smartphone.

And how about full autonomous driving? Would we do route planning etc. via the smartphone? 

I can see built-in satnav making a resurgence - but it'll need to be a bit better than Toyota's current offering. 😉 

[Parts-King]

I can see a time where everything will be done through the app, you will pay a subscription to get Nav, parking, charging etc. Bet ya!