TeleAtlas On the Move
I had the opportunity to talk with Jay Benson of TeleAtlas the other day about the TeleAtlas maps and their recent updates that were released to navigation device makers (TomTom has released their map updates in the US, and Mio should in the next few months). TeleAtlas acquired GDT in 2004 and they have been maintaining separate map database files and map products up until this year. This year, they combined the files and brought the best of each together to make a pretty good jump in quality that should be hitting the market with recent GPS map file releases.
TeleAtlas sources their map changes from many many sources, and just to put things in perspective, they get 3-5 million edits per month into the database. Once they get these change alerts, they figure out if they need to "drive" the new roads or new road changes, and then if they do, they dispatch a van to gather the information about the road. This data gathering mission collects much more information than you and I see at our GPS units, as TeleAtlas offers their data to much more discerning users who need many more aspects of the road situation than we need on our GPS units. So for instance in the TeleAtlas releases their database that takes up over a half a dozen DVD's (North of 30 GB of data), and then it's up to the GPS companies to choose the information that they want to give to us on the GPS, and cram it all down onto the smallest footprint possible, often times only 1+ GB for the entire US.
One of the innovations that TeleAtlas brought online this summer was MapInsight, which allows consumers to go to the TeleAtlas website and describe what road or intersection is not right. A great way to vent your frustration and also be assured that your "news" gets right to the source of map data. While this system is functioning, the bulk of their change informaiton is still coming through traditional channels.
Only time and user experience will tell if the TeleAtlas maps are improving dramatically, but it sounds like the step forward with the GDT and TeleAtlas map database merging this year is going to help.
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Posted by Scott Martin at December 29, 2006 8:57 AM
Take a look at the step forward from Navteq and look at the new site with the MapReporter Zone it is amazing to see this two giants competiting in all the fronts.
As i am a european nav user i must say that with no GDT data for EU TeleaAtlas, they must put more action on the field ,their data is very inacurate and out of date.
MapVans go go go go ,India is waiting for fresh data ...
I believe that Garmin uses Navteq and their maps are pretty current as their latest, N. America City Navigator v.8 was released in the fall of 2006.
Garmin usually releases a map update about every 1-1.5 years.
Bot a Mio C310x this past winter 2006 and that GPS is simple to operate BUT...
The map is OUTDATE as it lists 2005!! Mio Tech uses Tele Atlas and has NOT even released the Map Update (YET!?) even though it was SUPPOSE to be released in Spring, 2007 (um... NOW)!!
I will NOT recommend or buy any more MIO GPS products as they're SLOW in releasing their map updates, IF EVER, AND their customer support/service really STINKS!!
The company REFUSES to respond to any emails on any time frame of the map updates AND REFUSES to post any information on their update progress!!
Many C310x owners (read the various online forums) are frustrated about using an OUTDATED GPS unit since the maps are NOT that accurate especially if the unit is used for In-City driving as MANY roads have changed, obviously, within the past 2 years!
The Northeast and western US have changed dramatically with new construction of roads and/or buildings so many of those items are NOT included on the current maps!!
I am AVOIDING almost any GPS maker that makes Tele Atlas their map provider as the maps are NOT updated!!
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