How do I recalibrate the GPS?

[baxterdown]

My Navigation's current location accuracy is pretty good, it's just it has my home in the wrong place.

Everything in my nav is in the wrong place, hence this thread. Just today I went to a restaurant for dinner. MFT showed it on the next block.

I happen to agree with you, Ford went to another supplier probably because of cost. Somebody should have taken the time to drive around the country to test Telenav's map accuracy. At least in Florida, they're a mess.

 

[janskim]

After doing some testing today on the ride to and from work I've come to the conclusion the NAV and its mapping is good for highways and major roads. It seems to have current data for highways for instance there is an interchange I take which use to have left hand ramps and was converted over last year to right hand ramps. NAV mapping gets you through the area correctly. Its funny I see out of towners get confused at that same point because their NAV has them trying to take a left ramp which is no longer there. Where our Ex system fails is in the details navigation. For instance my work address could not be found (I cursed for 15 min trying to enter it via vocie). I could find higher and lower building numbers but not mine. Our building has been around since the 80's. Then when following local roads you vehicle will find itself in the grass sort of speak at times on the screen. No biggy but the problem is when you rely on it to get you to an and address and it has you on the next block or street in a strange part of town. GPS uses multiple military satellites to triangulate your position and unfortunately our nav does not display LAT and LONG coordinates to verify against another known positioning system for accuracey. Coordinate information is overlayed over the geo map data to give you route info. That coorilation of data is poor in this case from this vendor as evidenced by the problems we are having. I agree it bull to have old data for a new technology vehicle. Garmin units get you there more accurately. Usually map updates from vendors cost money. I have a feeling we're going to come out on the short end of this deal if we expect a freebie from FORD. Once again poor supplier quality or selection has a negative impact on a vehicle that had a lot of potential to be cutting edge.

 

[janskim]

Ok ours isn't this bad but figured for those that didn't see this commercial it would give you a chuckle:


http://http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZXM_g3mqew

 

[janskim]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tZXM_g3mqew

Link didn't work

 

[baxterdown]

Everything points to the map data. I went to lunch yesterday at a restaurant the map showed two full blocks away from where the restaurant is really located. Here's a screen capture from Telenav's website. I've highlighted in yellow the actual restaurant.

 

[JAZNY]

I'm amazed there are multiple databases with varying degrees of accuracy in the Nav-world. At least Telenav doesn't think railroad tracks are roads. I checked this out, as my dealership is minutes away from the site of more than one car-train accident where the Nav system was the excuse.

 

[rbell]

My NAV is of by 200 feet. But the biggest complaint is the info is at least 4 years old and maybe more. My neighborhood of 400+ homes was built in 2006 and my street is not even on the map. This calls in to question other locations as well. I called Ford and they said there was no update. I told them I should receive an up to date system for the expensive vehicle I just took delivery on less than a month ago. I told them that Ford should set the vender stright and demand current maps be supplied with new vehicles. The customer service rep said she would note the complaint and escalate it. We shall see what happens.....This is bull!

I agree, it is bull. We've all spent a lot of money for this vehicle and should expect things to be up to date. Ford should be getting us all new Nav cards once they update everything.

 

[boss377]

My NAV is of by 200 feet. But the biggest complaint is the info is at least 4 years old and maybe more. My neighborhood of 400+ homes was built in 2006 and my street is not even on the map. This calls in to question other locations as well. I called Ford and they said there was no update. I told them I should receive an up to date system for the expensive vehicle I just took delivery on less than a month ago. I told them that Ford should set the vender stright and demand current maps be supplied with new vehicles. The customer service rep said she would note the complaint and escalate it. We shall see what happens.....This is bull!

This system is actually very good, and all built-in NAVs are not 100% current. It's impossible to keep up with every new street, so I don't think they need to set the vendor straight.
The Ford NAV does already have all the new lanes and exits for the Virginia Beltway and they are aren't even finished with the construction yet!
It performed flawlessly on my trip to South Carolina and we loved the detailed freeway exit pictures.

 

[baxterdown]

It's impossible to keep up with every new street, so I don't think they need to set the vendor straight.

We are not talking about new streets. These are inconsistencies for addresses that have existed for a long time. My house was built in 1949, my vacation home was built in 2002. The restaurant you see in my post above is about 10 years old.

The map on my 2009 Ford Flex was excellent. It didn't have some newer streets (like you said above), but it showed existing addresses where they were actually located. Ford decided to use a different vendor whose map accuracy is not good for the new Explorer and we are the ones suffering the consequences of that decision.

 

[Sgt1411]

We are not talking about new streets. These are inconsistencies for addresses that have existed for a long time. My house was built in 1949, my vacation home was built in 2002. The restaurant you see in my post above is about 10 years old.

The map on my 2009 Ford Flex was excellent. It didn't have some newer streets (like you said above), but it showed existing addresses where they were actually located. Ford decided to use a different vendor whose map accuracy is not good for the new Explorer and we are the ones suffering the consequences of that decision.

Exactly....Im not seeing streets and POI's that have been in existence for years.

Thats unacceptable for 2011 vehicle.

Acceptable is when new streets or locations are missing if created new within the past 12 months.

When I asked I was told TeleNav geodata is 18 months old.

 

[teh bishop]

Hmmmmm, this is bizarre. Until I read this I didn't know it was an issue because the POI and street address locations in the cities I've been to around Texas so far have been accurate, with the exception of recently closed businesses. I guess it just depends on which location :/

 

[baxterdown]

I wanted to show you guys that intersection (turn) I described above, which MFT misses completely.

Here's my route. I zoomed out to show you where the left turn is located (yellow arrow). You'll also notice that MFT says to turn left on Marigold Avenue, which is located later in the route.

Here I am at the intersection. You can see it is an actual left turn with a traffic light and everything. MFT is showing the route correctly, but VC is mute about having to make a turn. You'll also notice that I'm on John Young Parkway.

This is after having made the left turn. My next turn is still showing as Marigold Avenue, yet I'm now on Pleasent Hill Road.

I thought this was another Telenav misshap, but when I pull up the route on their website the left turn is clearly listed in the directions.

So, who knows...

 

[Sgt1411]

Some interesting info from the Web on GPS basics.

Perhaps the GPS receiver Ford chose is faulty or poor quality.


Global Positioning System satellites transmit signals to equipment on the ground. GPS receivers passively receive satellite signals; they do not transmit. GPS receivers require an unobstructed view of the sky, so they are used only outdoors and they often do not perform well within forested areas or near tall buildings. GPS operations depend on a very accurate time reference, which is provided by atomic clocks at the U.S. Naval Observatory. Each GPS satellite has atomic clocks on board.



Each GPS satellite transmits data that indicates its location and the current time. All GPS satellites synchronize operations so that these repeating signals are transmitted at the same instant. The signals, moving at the speed of light, arrive at a GPS receiver at slightly different times because some satellites are farther away than others. The distance to the GPS satellites can be determined by estimating the amount of time it takes for their signals to reach the receiver. When the receiver estimates the distance to at least four GPS satellites, it can calculate its position in three dimensions.

There are at least 24 operational GPS satellites at all times. The satellites, operated by the U.S. Air Force, orbit with a period of 12 hours. Ground stations are used to precisely track each satellite's orbit.


Determining Position
A GPS receiver "knows" the location of the satellites, because that information is included in satellite transmissions. By estimating how far away a satellite is, the receiver also "knows" it is located somewhere on the surface of an imaginary sphere centered at the satellite. It then determines the sizes of several spheres, one for each satellite. The receiver is located where these spheres intersect.
Click here for a detailed description of how this works.



GPS Accuracy
The accuracy of a position determined with GPS depends on the type of receiver. Most hand-held GPS units have about 10-20 meter accuracy. Other types of receivers use a method called Differential GPS (DGPS) to obtain much higher accuracy. DGPS requires an additional receiver fixed at a known location nearby. Observations made by the stationary receiver are used to correct positions recorded by the roving units, producing an accuracy greater than 1 meter.

When the system was created, timing errors were inserted into GPS transmissions to limit the accuracy of non-military GPS receivers to about 100 meters. This part of GPS operations, called Selective Availability, was eliminated in May 2000.

 

[janskim]

Baxter

Do you have the orginal antenna on yours or the aftermarket shark. Curious if the antenna maybe causing you the problems.

 

[baxterdown]

Janskim, the antenna is not the problem. The GPS signal is fine. I never get the "NO GPS" symbol. This is about incorrect map data.

 

[wheeling]

This is really unacceptable for such a high tech car. I think it is the GPS database. I checked the Telenav website. The map is quite updated. But many addresses or POI are not. In one address I tried, it located me half town away. Some a across street, some are accurate.

I thihk this is a safety issue and Ford has to address it promptly. Without GPS is one thing, and telling you the wrong dirrections is another and completely unacceptable.

Keep this thread alive. Is there anyone that has the GPS accurate in the EX?

 

[jjs461]

It's really a shame that my $139.00 Megellan Roadmaster 3045LM work better, is really eaiser to program came with pre loaded with maps of US, Alaska, Canada, Puerto Rico & Hawaii, and has free lifetime maps and lifetime live traffic and 6 million AAA points of intrest which are updated for free at least one a year. Why didn't Ford license a product simular to this to use in their vehicles is inexcusable?

 

[batman89]

Anybody know the GPS brand in the X and does it have WAAS capability? Also what is the location of the antenna?

http://www8.garmin.com/aboutGPS/waas.html

Yes I find the map data is incorrect. My home address is about 1/4 mile off to the north. This is not the fault of the GPS.

I have used Garmin products and until I got one with WAAS none of them were accurate enough to find a quarter if you marked it position and tried to find it again.

The satellites are the same one that the military uses. The difference is the consumer GPS signal has some information in it that makes it less accurate. WAAS GPS receivers was a big advancement but still not as accurate as the military version.

And you can not calibrate a GPS. How accurate the GPS is varies due to the position of the satellite in sky and you also need to know that all the satellites orbit the earth and are not fix like say your Directv satellite.

 

[Loganfilm]

The reality is that in this day and age of internet connectivity, we should NOT be relying on buying outdated map cards once a year, to be shipped to us and out of date the day they arrive. All of that information is available in real time. Right now.

The good engineers at Ford were kind enough to include a wifi hotspot feature, but they completely ignore that internet connection for data delivery.

Fail.

We should be getting real time updates on maps, as they are added to the database. Whether it's a daily delivery or immediately upon entering a new area, the fact is that this archaic method of delivering data will always put us behind.

 

[GWA1]

Anybody know the GPS brand in the X and does it have WAAS capability? Also what is the location of the antenna?

http://www8.garmin.com/aboutGPS/waas.html

Yes I find the map data is incorrect. My home address is about 1/4 mile off to the north. This is not the fault of the GPS.

I have used Garmin products and until I got one with WAAS none of them were accurate enough to find a quarter if you marked it position and tried to find it again.

The satellites are the same one that the military uses. The difference is the consumer GPS signal has some information in it that makes it less accurate. WAAS GPS receivers was a big advancement but still not as accurate as the military version.

And you can not calibrate a GPS. How accurate the GPS is varies due to the position of the satellite in sky and you also need to know that all the satellites orbit the earth and are not fix like say your Directv satellite.

See posts 8 and 10 and11 and 12 and 13. Hell just start reading from the first post! LOL
Antenna located under regular stick antenna.
My Nav seems to work fine. Has my Ex sitting right in my driveway. I did set up "home" as per a previous post. Don't know if it mattered or not, but couldn't hurt.
Although it looses signal between tall buildings, but so does my Magellan. One thing, with the Magellan you can have it search for best satellites. IE. Live on east coast. Went to Cal. First thing I did was let the gps search for the best sats. for the most accurate positioning. Also seems to use more sats.
Ex gps seem to be lacking....Don't like Telenav. Ford probably switched from Navteq because of cost. You get what you pay for!