Apple Maps

[bassjo]

There may already be a thread regarding this and if so MODS feel free to move it. I wanted to ask if anyone has had Apple Maps send them down some pretty sketchy roads? My family and I were driving home from Gatlinburg, TN yesterday and the route that the Maps app took us to just get on I-40 was pretty darn horrible. It had us go down these little back roads in the hills and wanted us to take what seemed like a dirt road, (more on that in a sec) we thought that we shouldn't be driving down unknown dirt roads so we just kept the course hoping that it would eventually recalculate to get us on I-40. Instead it took us up this very winding and narrow mountain road that ultimately lead to a nice big sign saying "Pavement Ends in 1500ft". Of course there was no reception that far in the hills so we found a turn around and headed back the way we came. Oddly enough, we were greeted by probably a dozen other cars trying the same route only to be turned around.

We ended up taking the road that looked unpaved, in the end it was paved but just barely and it was a for the most part a single lane road. (I drive a Chevy Silverado 1500 Crew Cab) This took us so freaking far out of the way, it's unbelievable. I have since compared the route that Google Maps would have used versus Apple Maps and it would have kept us on a route that would be along standard roads and less back roads. Also Apple Maps claims to be able to have saved us 10 minutes from the Google route but with the having to drive 15 MPH on winding mountain roads we instead added 30-45 minutes to our drive. An adventure to be sure. Have any of you had this happen and/or do you have any tips to help make the Maps app more accurate? I also wanted to add that the reason I used Apple Maps app is this is the only navigation app that I can use with Apple CarPlay. (I wish they'd let you decide.)

 

[Brian W1]

I drive tractor trailers for a living. Myself, as well as other drivers I know, never use Apple Maps. Google all the way. Google will show traffic backups on the map by turning the roads red, not sure if Apple does or not. Long story short, I have used Google Maps for the last few years and trust it. Apple has let me down on more than one occasion.

 

[Lee_Bo]

I drive tractor trailers for a living. Myself, as well as other drivers I know, never use Apple Maps. Google all the way. Google will show traffic backups on the map by turning the roads red, not sure if Apple does or not. Long story short, I have used Google Maps for the last few years and trust it. Apple has let me down on more than one occasion.

For of all, thank you @Brian W1 for driving those big trucks and getting those freight shipments where they need to go.

I've tried Apple Maps a dozen times or so and so far have not had any problems. But even when I was on Android I never really used Google Maps. I pretty much use Waze exclusively.

 

[Brian W1]

Waze is also good. I just didn't like the way it looks as good. When I traveled to Florida in my car, I used Waze. It's very handy for showing the hangouts of the friendly law enforcement...lol

 

[bassjo]

Thanks to all that have answered, I'd love to use Google Maps but like I said using Apple CarPlay it only let's you use the Apple Maps app. So in order to have the map displayed on the in dash screen it has to be Apple unless I switched to an Android device and used Android Auto... Then I could have Google Maps displayed.

 

[chezm]

Coming from using Google Maps for many years and specifically with AA for the last year and half, i was concerned using Apple Maps with Carplay and to my surprise its been pretty fantastic. The directions it provides (depending on if i want to avoid paid tolls) generally match what Google Maps offers (i check both sometimes), which i consider a good thing since i believe Google Maps is fantastic. I understand the challenge you're facing with Carplay, i wish we could chose to use Google Maps or whatever GPS App we'd like but Apple/Google lock theirs down unfortunately. I've also found that the more i use Apple Maps, much like Google Maps, the better both get at learning your preferred route type (i.e. i avoid highways and prefer country roads, living in the sticks).

 

[kataran]

Up here in New England Apple Maps is very accurate. Never had a problem with it

 

[rdstryr]

Never had any issues with it here and California.

 

[mogelijk]

Apple Maps has largely worked well for me, at least around town. What has surprised me is how much cleaner the Apple Maps interfaces looks, compared to Google; it just seems so much easier to read, to me. It also did a decent job of routing me around a traffic jam last week. At the same time, I have had a couple of issues, so I typically only use Apple Maps around town in areas I more or less know, using it to find a "best" route and to help me avoid traffic.

Google still appears to be the best smartphone mapping app and I'll use it when I want to be sure I am getting the best routing and traffic information (particularly as it uses data from Waze). I also like how Google shows which lanes you need to be in, for some of the busier interchanges/intersections.

I used Waze a lot previously but got tired of some of the odd routes it had me take -- particularly the time when it wanted to take my on a tiny street and then turn left onto a 6 lane road at rush hour (no traffic light at the intersection). In fact, tests I've seen show that Waze actually, when it wants to take you on the small side roads, is actually often not any faster. The one thing I miss from Waze is the speed information, particularly since they've added speed limits on many roads.

One last mapping app I used to use, back when I was trying to limit data use, is Here. Their mapping tends to be quite good, though their traffic info can be a bit delayed comparitively. Here, previously owned by Nokia, allows you to download maps by state and/or country, and they update them several times a year. They are also the maps most of the car manufacturers currently use for their built in Nav systems. Here also has speed limits for most roads and can warn you if you exceed the speed limit (or a user definable speed over the speed limit).

 

[duckduckgoose]

I drive tractor trailers for a living. Myself, as well as other drivers I know, never use Apple Maps. Google all the way. Google will show traffic backups on the map by turning the roads red, not sure if Apple does or not. Long story short, I have used Google Maps for the last few years and trust it. Apple has let me down on more than one occasion.

Apple Maps gives you road conditions just like that too. I use it exclusively, and never get taken out on gravel roads like the OP.

 

[Brian W1]

I'm going to give Apple Maps another try. I'm usually going to the same places over and over and know how to go anyway, I just run navigation on my phone for eta and traffic

 

[MizWylie]

Oddly enough, this has only happened to me while I was doing a military school in Kentucky. I swear I heard banjos.

 

[Not Quite Right]

I've not had any issues with Apple maps, but I'm also smart enough to not let it or any navigation system take me down a bogus route either ...

 

[bassjo]

I've not had any issues with Apple maps, but I'm also smart enough to not let it or any navigation system take me down a bogus route either ...

That's a pretty presumptuous comment there bud. If I'm driving in an area that I'm familiar with I wouldn't bother using the navigation app, however being in a totally unfamiliar area I was using the resources I had at hand. And in our case those resources let us down.

 

[bobpet63]

It's google maps.

 

[bassjo]

It's google maps.

That's why I'm seriously thinking about going back to Android...

 

[Just_Me_D]

Typically, when I go to a place I've never been, especially a place that's out of state, I will check Apple Maps, Google Maps and my car's built-in navigation system. Thankfully, all three have provided the same directions. I use my car's navigation system the most because it's been on-point and it's built-in traffic alerts have been great. Anyway, Apple Maps have proven to be a benefit over the years for me. It's not perfect, but it's still top tier, in my opinion.

 

[Wotchered]

I don't use Apple maps anymore, in fact since it got re-jigged a couple of years ago. I have looked at it but use Google Maps when I need an iron *****. Most of the people I know of my generation were taught how to read maps properly and that's what we do, usually getting the maps out beforehand and memorising a few town-village names and a couple of road numbers. And we always take maps with us. You can pretty much guarantee that if you get lost there won't be any signal.

 

[Wotchered]

PS what the H is the matter with the word i d i o t ?

 

[Just_Me_D]

.... Most of the people I know of my generation were taught how to read maps properly ....

Me and a friend were saying the exact same thing a few days ago. Back then, we kept a paper map in the car. Heck, you couldn't even go to a gas station or a convenience store and not see them for sale near the cash register....