Sat Nav - How does it know to avoid probs?

[firstmercedes]

Still loving the 2011 plate c220 and am constantly amazed by the tech.
I set a destination on Sat Nav and after choosing route, it often changes and sends me on a different route because of problems. These are always roadworks but recently seemingly because of a crash that had closed motorway.
How the hell does this work? I mean I'm incredibly grateful and it's always right but the tech behind this must be massive.
Thanks for any input

 

[Peter DLM]

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Traffic_message_channel

 

[Peter DLM]

Uses these cameras. You'll have seen them by the roadside, also have heard they use mobile phone cell data.

 

[zipdip]

Updated by the radio,which gets its info from accident reports and those blue cameras,which work by recording the speed of cars going past them and so signal slower moving and static vehicles.

 

[Yugguy]

Magic. And road-side gnomes.

 

[davidjpowell]

some of the newer systems also use mobile phone data to track speeds of phones... The old fashion TMC through the radio is old hat nowadays.

It's clever stuff.

 

[V8 Animal]

The newer cars use mobile phones data in the area you are in,

 

[wivenhoe]

The newer cars use mobile phones data in the area you are in,

The latest system (allegedly) uses data from TomTom and other Mercedes cars. I say allegedly as since they introduced the Mercedes data it has become less reliable. The Comand confirms it is receiving data by showing a red car icon and mine also says TomTom.

 

[Rory]

Uses these cameras. You'll have seen them by the roadside, also have heard they use mobile phone cell data.

That's the TrafficMaster system. Not sure about later models, but older Merc use ITIS, which uses several data sources but amongst them are transponders mounted on vehicles - trucks, coaches etc.

 

[ash59fifty-uk]

Most android phones provide accurate data, never used google maps? Lol

 

[Deleted member 65149]

They don't always avoid problems. Driving up the A1 on Tuesday evening I came to a roundabout only to find the A1 barricaded off and no detour signs. I had to zoom out on the map and guess an alternative, with the dashboard lady continually trying o take me back to the blocked off section of the A1. It was only some time later in my detour that the row of red cars showed up. (That reminds me that I still haven't checked to see if there's a way to avoid a section of road on COMAND's sat nav the way that you can with Tom Tom.)

 

[TheFoX]

(That reminds me that I still haven't checked to see if there's a way to avoid a section of road on COMAND's sat nav the way that you can with Tom Tom.)

I don't think you can. That was one feature I missed when switching from a TomTom to a Garmin; the ability to bypass a feature, such as a road or town.

To my knowledge, the only real answer is to have a waypoint or halfway point that takes you away from the obstacle you wish to avoid, then navigate from that point to your final destination.

 

[S205-FTW]

COMAND online uses TomTom's traffic data, in the U.K. this is pooled from Vodafone user location data. It also pools other TomTom Live and COMAND online users. Basically, if you use the system then you also crowdsource the data.
Updates come via a 2G/3G data connection from the in-built SIM.

A good write up here:
How TomTom make maps - Part 4: HD Traffic

 

[BTB 500]

We recently switched to a TomTom with Live HD Traffic and it's a great improvement.

 

[sc3992]

COMAND online uses TomTom's traffic data, in the U.K. this is pooled from Vodafone user location data. It also pools other TomTom Live and COMAND online users. Basically, if you use the system then you also crowdsource the data. Updates come via a 2G/3G data connection from the in-built SIM. A good write up here: How TomTom make maps - Part 4: HD Traffic

TomTom and Garmin both use Trafficmaster data as well as data from other sources, Trafficmaster uses data from Eddie Stobart trucks amongst other fleets as well as real time data from its own roadside traffic monitors.

They are based in Cranfield in Bedfordshire and have just partnered with the RAC to expand their services.

 

[gIzzE]

You can avoid areas on COMAND, it is under the route or position option (can't remember, but the one second from the right, next to DESTINATION) you can chose to bypass sections of the selected route.

 

[igk1]

The new Live Traffic system with dynamic route guidance is a big improvement but not infallible. In my new GLE with the latest maps I was navigating from Cumbria to Essex and it wanted to divert me away from a section of the A1 which showed as red. I checked Google maps and elsewhere and couldn't see any problem so ignored it. Turned out that it was where the road is being upgraded to motorway and the old section was closed, and the map didn't know about the new 3 lane section I drove down. Glad I ignored it as it was a considerable detour.

 

[Rory]

TomTom and Garmin both use Trafficmaster data as well as data from other sources, Trafficmaster uses data from Eddie Stobart trucks amongst other fleets as well as real time data from its own roadside traffic monitors.

They are based in Cranfield in Bedfordshire and have just partnered with the RAC to expand their services.

What's your source for that information, as I don't think it's correct - athough maybe things have changed as there are always mergers etc in that field?

As I understand it, the truck based sensors are ITIS - that's what's used on my car and it works pretty well.

The roadside sensors are TrafficMaster - my wife's VW uses that and it's hopeless.

 

[Deleted member 65149]

You can avoid areas on COMAND, it is under the route or position option (can't remember, but the one second from the right, next to DESTINATION) you can chose to bypass sections of the selected route.

Found it thanks. Go to Route then select Detour. Keep pressing "Longer" until the blocked route looks long enough, then select Start. Easy when you know how!

 

[sc3992]

What's your source for that information, as I don't think it's correct - athough maybe things have changed as there are always mergers etc in that field? As I understand it, the truck based sensors are ITIS - that's what's used on my car and it works pretty well. The roadside sensors are TrafficMaster - my wife's VW uses that and it's hopeless.

I went for a tour of the facility and it's what they were telling us......

But like you said things do change and it was two years ago.....