Driving to the L.A. Auto Show yesterday in the 2009 Dodge Challenger I hit stop-and-go traffic on the 10 freeway. No surprise there. But while sitting still with everyone else I noticed the real-time traffic icon on the top right corner of the screen and thought I'd get a report. As you can see from the photo above, there was plenty of congestion all around me, and on both sides of the freeway.
But you'd never know it from the Sirius Traffic service that's part of the Challenger's nav system.
As James Riswick pointed out in a post yesterday (and his commenters confirmed), it's almost expected that subscription-based "real-time traffic" services don't always operate in real time. That's because the service aggregates traffic info from multiple sources. So there's usually a significant lag time. And aggravation if you're relying on it for accurate info.
While I didn't have a route programmed (the Challenger's nav system is configurable so you can get general traffic messages or ones specific to your route), not reporting on the traffic all around me -- and in a spot that's typically bottleneck-prone -- is inexcusable.
A one-year subscription to Sirius Traffic is included when you pop for the $1,390 uconnect GPS option on the Challenger, and after that it costs $16.94 a month or $190.33 annually. Save your money and listen to local radio traffic reports instead. Or get it free from Google.
Speaking of which, I was also testing Google Maps Navigation (Beta) on the Verizon DROID as a follow up to an Edmunds road test on iPhone nav apps. After several unsuccessful attempts at programming a route to the L.A. Convention Center on the fly just to see if the Sirius Traffic reports would change -- and being stymied by the Challenger's system since you can't punch in a route while the car is in motion, which is probably a good thing -- I hit an icon on the DROID and said "Navigate to the LA Convention Center."
Within seconds the DROID plotted my route. And showed traffic along the way.
No wonder in-dash nav is going the way of the dinosaurs.
-- Doug Newcomb, Senior Editor, Technology, Edmunds.com
ddoouugg says:
06:41 PM, 12/ 3/09
In-dash nav is going the way of the dinosaurs? I don't think so. It's just coming into most cars. I haven't seen any cars get rid of it yet.
wrinklebump says:
06:48 PM, 12/ 3/09
Radio for traffic info
Nav for getting to the nearest 5 Guys
That's the situation
dougnewcomb says:
06:58 PM, 12/ 3/09
@ddoouugg: Even BMW is starting to go the portable route: http://www.bmw.com/com/en/owners/accessories/navigation_portable/allfacts.html
wrinklebump says:
07:15 PM, 12/ 3/09
Wait a minute, why the hell would you even want real time traffic anyway? Too see how much farther and how much longer you're going to be pissed off and helpless?
adavis2493 says:
07:22 PM, 12/ 3/09
That's a gorgeous S5 in front of you....
wrinklebump says:
07:57 PM, 12/ 3/09
Wait a minute, why the hell would you even want real time traffic anyway? Too see how much farther and how much longer you're going to be pissed off and helpless?
carguy622 says:
07:58 PM, 12/ 3/09
@dougnewcomb: Looks like BMW is just trying to sell a BMW branded Garmin (probably for a lot more than a Garmin) to people who didn't opt for iDrive.
For the record I have a car with built-in navigation and one where I keep a Garmin in the glovebox. Having the navigation system in the dash, with the large screen, always ready to go is much better than keeping the Garmin in the glove box.
bimmerjay says:
09:58 PM, 12/ 3/09
"No wonder in-dash nav is going the way of the dinosaurs."
It is? This option continues to gain in popularity and break into increasingly less-expensive segments. Virtually every car going out the door for over $50K has it and it's an option on almost anything north of $25K. The systems also increasingly offer more comprehensive functionality and integration than you get with portable systems.
This has to do with the suckage of Sirius' traffic service as the system BMW and some others use, at least for CA, is apparently far better. Portable systems can suffer the same pitfalls.
bimmerjay says:
10:01 PM, 12/ 3/09
The BMW-branded Garmin is nothing more than BMW trying to recapture some lost profits from cars that didn't go out the door equipped with nav/iDrive and for older vehicles. More new BMWs are equipped with nav and iDrive than ever before.
bimmerjay says:
10:10 PM, 12/ 3/09
Sorry for the 3-poster.
@wrinklebump
"Wait a minute, why the hell would you even want real time traffic anyway? Too see how much farther and how much longer you're going to be pissed off and helpless?"
RTT helps you avoid the traffic in the first place. When you program a route the systems automatically re-route you as conditions may dictate, or initially choose the faster of 2 similar freeways based on RTT-data. You can also look ahead and see accidents or other traffic hazards (lane closures, high winds, fog, construction). Or you can see how long the backup is and evaluate yourself whether it's worth getting off the freeway. As the grids continue to improve I don't see why anyone who drives in an urban area wouldn't want this.
Last Thanksgiving I used my RTT and beat a friend driving the same route by over an hour (on a normally 2-hr trip!) because I was dancing around the problems. Another time I missed getting completely stuck on a closed freeway due to a rolled semi. Once it's saved you from hassles like that you realize it's totally worth it.
sloshman says:
11:34 PM, 12/ 3/09
Agreeing with Bimmerjay, I love sites like traffic.com, sigalert.com, and even DOT sites like Caltrans which feature traffic cameras. If that's not enough, you can go to the California Higway Patrol's website and see a text based incident and conditions log which, I believe, is almost in real time.
(Now if only Blackberry had a good traffic app...)
teamoncerider says:
08:14 AM, 12/ 4/09
I saw that exact same S5 with the Rusnak plates this morning.
wrinklebump says:
09:15 AM, 12/ 4/09
I guess Michigan just isn't congested enough for that garbage
dougnewcomb says:
09:23 AM, 12/ 4/09
@teamoncerider: Young entertainment industry type driving it?
dougnewcomb says:
09:32 AM, 12/ 4/09
IMO, the days of expensive and antiquated in-dash nav systems are numbered, especially when Google, Apple and automakers figure out a way to control a smartphone nav app through an in-dash screen, sorta like this: http://blogs.insideline.com/straightline/2009/03/apple-files-patent-application-for-safe-touch-screen-nav-system.html
cruiserhead1 says:
09:34 AM, 12/ 4/09
Is it possibe that zooming in closer changes the traffic report? I know that sounds weird but I noticed on google maps, the real time traffic actually changes sometimes when you zoom in closer to the specific location.
I am against built-in NAV's because it's basically like building a cassette player into your dash--investing in outdated technology. Ask people how they feel about their $10,000 45" crt home ent center now that we have gone to LCD-->Plasma-->LED within a short few years.
NAV is always changing and developing new features. Better to get a Garmin and have the auto manufacturers develop integrated docks -- sort of like the Suzuki, except they can take it further.
bimmerjay says:
09:59 AM, 12/ 4/09
@wrinklebump
"I guess Michigan just isn't congested enough for that garbage"
Are you kidding? Metro-Detroit traffic is awful. There's always construction and random lane closures everywhere, plus extremely poor planning and traffic flow management means unpredictable jams. Combine that with limited tools to get around the problems - no centralized automated meters, roadway sensors, or smart sensor-based traffic lights and few cameras or adaptive signage like in CA. And to boot the roads are horribly maintained. I hate Michigan freeways. MDOT is beyond worthless.
dougnewcomb says:
10:54 AM, 12/ 4/09
But maybe I'm in the minority on RTT: http://www.jdpower.com/corporate/news/releases/pressrelease.aspx?ID=2009249
bodyblue says:
01:32 PM, 12/ 4/09
When commuting I listen to KFBK.....it is part of that ancient, horrible, FREE TO USE technology called AM radio. Free traffic reports every few minutes...interesting news and weather.....all at no charge!
wrinklebump says:
08:10 AM, 12/ 5/09
If you're actually dimwitted enough to dare 696, 94, 96 or 75 during peak hours you deserve whatever fate awaits you
wrinklebump says:
10:53 AM, 12/ 5/09
@bodyblue
F@&^in bingo.
bodyblue says:
01:04 PM, 12/ 5/09
Wrinkle@
HUH?
wrinklebump says:
05:23 PM, 12/ 5/09
Oh jesus how about a little power of deduction here
majin_ssj_eric says:
10:52 PM, 12/ 5/09
I wouldn't even consider buying a new car without a factory nav option. Thats just one of several reasons you will not be seeing me in a new Camaro any time soon...