Possible Dumb Garmin Question

There may have been new streets added etc... All the map files are very large and can take a very long time to download....

Yes, it's possible. Updates to the streets around your area could have led the routing algorithm to a different conclusion. A simple update to a speed limit on an intermediate section would be all it might take.

You mentioned that Ecoroute was added, it could have changed your route!

If you updated OS using webupdater, you added ecoroute on your last update as far as i can tell from your post. That ecoroute function changes the route from what I have seen. I have stopped using that ecoroute.(Less Fuel in Route preference)
I have also seen that Ecoroute avoides highways even if you dont have Avoide Highways selected.

I have yet to talk to Garmin about this feature to learn more.
DL

From what I've seen on my 265WT the best Eco score is achieved at 45 MPH. Thus it would seem that EcoRoute would route you on roads that had speed limits as close to 45 MPH as possible for the most fuel savings. That would be why it avoids highways.

Of course it is! The new map may have some streets/roads added that were not on the previous map. Even if there were no change whatsoever to the routing programming, a different map could trigger routing that is different than before. If a road gets upgraded on the map from a two lane to a four lane, that would make a difference too. Even if the roads themselves did not change, updating the speed limits posted for the roads could cause the routing engine to make a change.

Same thing is happening to me due to new street configurations.

I believe the key is in your download of Ecoroute. If you check the threads dealing only with that addition I think you'll discover other Garmin users have been taken off freeways/highways in favor of roads where speed limits are lower (even though there may be more stop/go).

Try turning off Ecoroute and see if your route returns to the old path.

After installing Ecoroute you find under route preference a additional selection of less fuel.If you check that instead of fastest time it will indeed take you off the interstates to roads with lower speed limits.Fastest time has not changed.I have selected a route to FL from VA using less fuel and fastest time.Big difference between the two.Fastest time keeps me on the interstates as in the past.Less fuel puts me more on roads with lower speed limits and off the interstates.

My vehicle has a trip computer that calculates the fuel economy from actual usage. I can get up to 30 MPG at freeway speeds using cruise control, but the best I've been able to do on secondary roads is about 28 due to the stops and starts.

As others have stated - it's a gimmick that makes assumptions without any way of knowing your driving habits and/or the route. It is true, the best mileage is obtained at a steady speed of around 45 MPH, but what road will allow you to travel at a steady 45? The only ones I know of are the limited access roads, the very thing the system routes you from.

The maximum grade I have seen on an interstate is about 6% going across mountain passes. The parallel secondary route often has grades approaching 8% which makes a BIG difference when climbing, but the routing algorithm probably doesn't take this into consideration as the speed limit is closer to their preferred 45 MPH.

Isn't is true that Highway driving gives you higher fuel economy than local roads? If you look at any car specs, Fuel economy # is higher on the highway.

Called GARMIN on this issue and was told that Less Fuel(ecoroute) selection should not avoide highways.
Which is not true ... at least in my case. And when I told them that it does, the tech told me to wait for the new update and it will be corrected.

DL

I think that was the wrong answer. I believe it WILL avoid "highways" with a speed limit above (pick a number), maybe 50, maybe 55.

I doubt it will be fixed because it is doing what was intended. If it didn't avoid high speeds, how would it be different than "fastest" ????

This is the answer I got back from Garmin on the less fuel option.

Thank you for contacting Garmin International.

I'm not aware of this being a "glitch" or problem with the programming.
As studies in the past have shown, you will get the best fuel economy
when consistently traveling around 55 miles per hour. Because the
majority of Interstates within the US have a posted speed limit of
65-70, the "Save Fuel" option is going to prefer those routes that keep
you closer to the 50-55 mph range to help conserve fuel as much as
possible based on the mileage and speed limit data the unit has for the
roads used. Most drivers are going to prefer using the highways due to
the faster traveling times and (generally) shorter mileage. However,
based on speed limits, the slightly shorter mileage may not outweigh the
slower, more fuel-conserving speed limits of non-Interstates. For the
driver who still wants to conserve fuel while driving on the Interstates
(especially for interstate travel), it may be ideal to use the standard
route preference settings ("shorter distance" and "faster time") while
utilizing cruise control to maintain a speed that hits closer to the
55mph mark than the posted 65-70 speed limits.

With Best Regards,

Joshua K
Product Support Specialist

I have fastest checked and I haven't looked at the way it's taking me before hitting "GO" but I will in the morning.

I live in NJ and except for new housing developments most of the roads are established. Of course with some additional speed limits (if any) it will figure a different route.

I'll look at the route it wants to take me and see if it is routing me off the highway.

Thanks for the info!

Keep in mind where Garmin was founded (KS). I grew up in the midwest and the highways there have relatively few stoplights as compared with larger metro areas. The EcoRoute can't know where the stoplights are located on a major highway since that information isn't in the map data (as far as I know). The problem with this is that major highways through large metro areas often are no different than high traffic surface streets, so stop & go is the norm on them.

I'm not saying that Garmin is oblivious to this fact, but until stoplights get incorporated into the map data the EcoRoute isn't going to work well in a large population center. When traveling from Kansas City to Oklahoma City (about 350 miles)the EcoRoute option probably would save you quite a bit of gas by taking the highways since there is little population along that route to impede your 50-55 MPH constant speed. Now traveling on highways (i.e. EcoRoute) from New York, NY to Richmond, VA (about 330 miles) is going to kill you because a lot of the "highways" are also going to be city surface streets.

Thats my take anyway.

I checked the map this morning and it was routing me on a major roadway (65 MPH), it cut diagonally on a secondary roadway (probably 50 to 55 MPH) and went to another major roadway (65 MPH) so I guess it's not using Ecoroute.

That is what I also found when using the fastest route.When you check less fuel for that same route.You should see a big change.

Anyone noticed this ?

I have also noticed that the refresh rate is slower after updating my unit to latest version(4.80). I have also noticed that it is taking longer to acquire satellite. Is Garmin aware of this issue ? Are they doing anything about it?

Thanks !

PS. Even though I have EcoRoute, I am not using it anymore. I am using Fastest Route but I think the refresh rate of the screen is still slower.

Yes it did change the route for me.

Nuvi360