For those of you with the R56 Nav system, its claimed that the system will reroute or select the best route based upon traffic conditions, how well does it work?

Do you find that the system makes the right call on which route to take?

 

I'm curious about this too - what service does the MINI NAV system use for its traffic information?

My Nuvi came with a free three-month subscription to the TMC traffic service, but I didn't renew it when it expired because TMC doesn't seem to monitor very many roads, and the traffic information it provided was usually too "time-late" to be useful (reporting traffic jams that had long since cleared, for example).

 

ScottRiqui,

No service to sign up for, from this thread:

https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...hlight=traffic

"With the help of Clear Channel’s broadcast network, customers no longer have to search for traffic reports on radio stations to be in-the-know about traffic situations. Up-to-date traffic information is compiled from a variety of sources including FM radio stations, highway-embedded sensors, video monitors on bridges and roadways, and local traffic monitoring centers. Traffic data is then streamed to a dedicated tuner in the car’s radio and transferred directly to the navigation system. So customers can receive traffic updates from a variety of stations, 24 hours a day, seven days a week-even when the radio is turned off or when the customer is listening to other entertainment sources such as a CD or iPod. The navigation system calculates the best route considering the traffic incidents and potential delays. In addition to alerting the driver to where the traffic is, if the delay is calculated to be more than 5 minutes then the navigation system will offer alternative routes around the congestion, either automatically or at the choice of the driver. "

 

Well, there's still a service (in this case, it's Clear Channel Traffic) - you just don't have to sign up for it.

For the OP - if you want to check out coverage areas, you can go to Clear Channel's traffic site here.

I was going to play around with a it little bit, but the site doesn't work with Macintosh computers.

 

I'm in OC, and have been observing the traffic indicators on the NAV maps. They seem to be accurate and timely, but I haven't used the NAV much yet (just got the car). I've been meaning to see how good the re-routing is, will report back as soon as I try it.

 

Clear Channel works like TMC here in Europe where it is embedded in the boradcast. I have TMC working here in Germany on my 06 S and it works well provided that they keep the report up to date. If I am driving along, and there is a traffic jam ahead, I will get a warning and then it will ask me if I would like to reroute. If you select yes, the system will find an alternate route to the end of the jam if possible.

 

Works great, when you are navigating. The system re-routes, as advertised.

 

Another neat feature is you can call up the traffic icon (an I in a triangle) and it will list all the traffic problems in order of their proximity to you. So even if you're not using the trip routing feature you can see where the problem areas are. After you do that, they will magically appear on your nav screen! Way cool

 

Agree. Love it.

 

Well, they jury is out with me. I tried it for the first time today going to work. The freeway is always backed up where I get on, but I've found it's still faster to sit through it, since it moves, and clears up after a couple of miles. But the NAV saw the congestion (double-arrows on the map, as usual), and it directed me all the way to work on surface streets. Spent half the time stopped at lights. Certainly not a less stressful or more fuel-efficient route, and it added about 5-10 minutes to what should have been a 25 minute drive.

 

Mine works well. I've even decided to take alternative routes on the fly and the NAV keeps up with the changes and gives me new alerts if there are any. It has also notified me of traffic, signaled that it would recalculate and then kept the original route due to worse traffic elsewhere.

 

I think it depends on where you live. It seems to have no coverage for Monterey, CA, but worked well for me in San Jose and Los Angeles.

I live about 90 miles from MINI of Mountian View. When I took it in for service one day, the timing put me right in the middle of the Silicon Valley rush hour. I had the NAV set to guide me to MINI of Mountian View. The freeway I was on seemed fine, but the NAV said there was a long congestion a few miles ahead (it gave numbers but I don't recall them). I took its advice and went on the alternate routes. It was a much longer route, but I encountered no congestion and got to my appointment on time.

The Los Angeles experience was that I-10 was congested and the NAV routed me to Olympic BLVD and other streets. I don't know whether I saved time, but I probably saved on clutch wear. I-10 can slow to a crawl.

One time in Los Angeles it warned of congestion ahead on I-10, but then didn't tell me to get off. As I traveled further, I found no congestion. I assume that it cleared before I got to it.

 

I found that it works, but doesn't seem to take traffic lights into account when rerouting off a highway. But it does seem to give an accurate representation of where the holdup begins and ends.

 

+1

I use mine daily since I take a route home that is used by everyone else in San Diego.

I love that if there is a major issue I am routed to the frontage road and pass by all the traffic, then hop back on the freeway knowing I just saved a lot of time. On the few incidents that I don't save a lot of time I do save frustration and that gets a big for me.

 

Thanks for all the feedback

Sounds like a majority see some value in the service.

Since I have about 5 different ways home in a 30 mile commute making the right decision is important. Can't wait to try it out now.........

 

I just wanted to report back that Traffic Info gets a big from me for longer all-freeway trips. We recently went through LA, up to Paso Robles (great twisty roads around Paso, btw. Great wine as well, just don't mix the two). The NAV took us on some not-so-obvious alternate routes, and we probably saved a big chunk of time. It's kind of cool when the nav lady says 'traffic situation ahead - recalculating your route'. It really shines when it can look very far ahead, and take advantage of alternate routes. Just be aware that the system has no info about side streets, and be prepared to a make a judgment call if it wants to take you there (especially in a bad area).

 

The last time I was in Philly, there was a modest delay on the expressway, but the nav kept telling me to take a long winded route around it. I didn't and it ended up taking me less time than if I had gotten off. It does do an excellent job of telling how severe a backup or delay is, and other than wishing it would shut up when it realized I was going to stay on the highway, it has been very helpful in pinpointing delays.

It did miss a bridge that was out for construction on one route, but it wasn't a major one, and completely forgivable.

It definitely gives timely information. At least as good as the 10 minute reports on AM radio would do. And you don't have to listen to every backup and strain to hear when your road comes up on a radio report.

I give it and combined with the nav system in general, and the iPod adapter, was well worth the $2100 it cost. The only thing I wish it had was the ability to enter waypoints, either to alter a route or accommodate a stop along the way. I find myself altering my 'route preferences' as I drive sometimes.

It also doesn't count bridge tolls as toll roads so on one trip, I crossed into NJ over a free bridge, and it sent me back to PA over a toll bridge, then back to NJ.

Also is a great use of the frisbee sized space on the dash.

 

You can make her shut up (the Nav, that is). Among the functions in the upper right box, there is a 'speaker' symbol.

 

Yeah. I use that sometimes, but it still flashes instructions to exit the highway constantly, and draws a line toward BFE...

 

I like the traffice feature a lot. Didn't expect it to be near as accurate is it actually is, and I love getting warned 'there is a traffic obstuction on your route!'. I just pull up the traffic info and voila! I can see what's the delay. Love it!

 

Yep, it's amazingly accurate here on Long Island. The re-route works very well. It is VERY cool to sit in the car before going anywhere and checking where the backups are via putting the display in one of the larger mile ranges. It can help you decide if you want to make the run somewhere or not (nah, lots of traffic there today, will go tomorrow....).

VERY cool feature. Now they just need to FIX the Nav Search feature so it is usefull, cause right now it is useless.

 

Long Island is the perfect testing ground, with the LIE, Northern State, Southern State, Sunrise Highway, Jericho Turnpike, not to mention the ones going N-S. etc. With plenty of traffic...

 

It works great here in the DC/Baltimore area, too!

 

It works great, but the reroute can be a bit aggressive sometimes.

 

Coming back from Philly today, I got a warning from my nav. It said there was an accident and traffic was 'stopped'. So I took its advice and went the long way home. Took awhile, and a lot of stoplights, but at least I was moving. So it worked out okay. Saved a toll and a lot of frustration being locked in a jam I couldn't have gotten away from. I passed over the turnpike, and the traffic was indeed stopped and not even moving.