Lane assist (lost after update to NA 2013.20)

Here in Phoenix area I see better lane assist coverage with the latest map version (2013.20) than I had with previous versions.

Speaking of missing items, I noticed the following things during my shakedown test after a map upgrade:

1. Unit no longer announces exit number
RTE 2 East, Exit 56, Winter St. Belmont, MA

2. Office building address number no longer in search.

I'm seeing this on both my 1450LMT and 350 with 2013.20

What else are we missing?

Great, we leave for our Mesa house in about 6 weeks.

I was surprised that every place I went after the latest 2013.20 map update was covered with lane assist and was really blown away at all the additional junction views that were added in this last update. Even minor remote freeway exits I never figured would have any chance to be are now covered with Junction View.

I suspect that since Lane Assist information is stored in the .IMG file, maybe Garmin had to remove a few lane assists in order for the .IMG to better fit on older devices.

I think this was intentionally taken off in the OP's case.

Do we know if the lane assist (in the prior map) had errors?

In other words did Garmin intentionally remove lane assist in areas where road construction, changes or discovered errors caused them to remove lane assist in that area?

Or was this just an unintentional error due to inadequate testing?

I was wondering the exact same thing. I was wondering if it was unintentional since we all know with firmware updates, things are added and then others broken but we'll never know for sure unless we were to sit down with the development team.

You nailed it; prior to upgrading I had lane assists which showed all existing lanes before all turn or exits, now all I have is a single arrow showing for each turn or exit. Thank you for confirming that it is not a problem with my 3490 but rather that it is no longer showing the lane assists with this update. I don’t understand however why Garmin would have taken those out as navigation was so much better with the lane assists showing. Should they not provide enhancements instead of removing features?

I cannot thank all of you enough for digging deep down and resolving this mystery. I must say that I am really upset at Garmin, when I told them about this problem, instead of telling me that those lane assists had been remove or deleted in my area, they asked me to perform cold reboot, re-install the firmware and re-installed the map update not counting all the time I sent calling them and waiting in line on the telephone. I was convinced that the problem was with my GPS as I was led to believe since they said that they would need to remote into my computer to fix the problem. As a result I kept trying all the suggestions in different order thinking that eventually it would solve the issue. This was so frustrating, but thanks to all of you, chipping in and submitting different ideas, you have proved that my unit is OK and now I can relax and wait for the next update hoping that those lane assists will be back.

@RogerLL,

This same thing happened here is western PA about 1 1/2 years ago for about 2 map updates. Then everything was back and more. After they came back the JCVs increased by leaps and bounds with every update to where I haven't found a major intersection without LA or JCV. The JCV graphics were different though they still look good. The older JCVs did have a little more detail. I think Garmin is restructuring the maps, LA and JCV in an area when this happens to some cleaner form that uses less memory. Just a guess on my part.

Still have lane assist on my 3590LMT after the update. I've only used it around where I live (Denver, Colorado Springs area)

... the thread, not entirely reading the whole thing, but is the "lane assist" the little arrows in the upper left corner of the screen? If so I still have it on both of my 2460's after the latest update, 2013.20. Among other times I used it this weekend and they were still there along with the junction view.

it seems the removal of lane assist data is localized to RogerLL's area in Alberta, CA. We have not heard of other regions with reduced lane assist coverage in 2012.30. I hope it is not a widespread problem or a trend for future map updates.

And Ontario according to WAASup's post on the first page. I'm waiting to see if others notice the same myself!

A reason for choosing the 3490LMT was that it had lane assist, why would they take away something that was perfectly OK and so useful? I cannot understand their reasoning. I currently own nine Garmins but being loyal does not appear to pay anymore.

For the past couple of years, when the nuvi booted and was loading maps, on the copyright notice at the bottom of the splash screen you used to see a credit to "Her Majesty the Queen in Right of Canada". I am not seeing that with the 2012.30 map. Did Garmin lose access to some govt. data from Canada? Could that explain the loss of some junction views?

This is all just guesswork on my part. I always wondered about that credit on the splash screen ... seems like it started showing up in 2010 or 2011, but is not there on the latest map.

The original Canadian copyright message on the splash screen was for Canada Post postal code data, stored in the maps that allows for search by postal code for Canadian address.

The last 2 map updates have replaced this with some copyright info for Mexico but the Canadian copyright information still appears in the EULA (Tools - Settings - System - EULA).

Guess it doesn't have anything to do with highway data then.

The EULA does mention the Minister of Natural Resources which I would speculate implies that some of the road map data, specifically roads in more remote areas, comes from them. If that's the case I doubt that there are many lane assist situations on mining or logging roads up here in the great white north.

Several years ago, up in the northern region of British Columbia, near Mount Robson Provincial Park, there were several towns and corresponding points of interest missing from one of my GPS's ... that appeared on an older GPS and older mapset.

When we get way off the beaten path, I always travel with two GPS's ... so that's how I noticed the difference.

I was looking for the closest gas station. My newer GPS, with a newer mapset, showed no nearby gas stations.

My older GPS and older mapset found several gas stations in Valemount BC.

So, it seems GARMIN in now reducing/adding back and just messing with the amount of data they are rolling into and out of mapsets ... and updates ... probably in an attempt to make data fit on available memory of respective GPS's.

Our son and his family were on a three year assignment in Fort Mac Oil Sands ... for several of those years, the GPSs showed us driving on a dirt road.

Guess we can't count completely on our beloved devices.

Hopefully it will all be fixed then

I can confirm that lane assist works differently after the latest map update. Previously, lane assist would indicate the proper lane for the next exit, even if was 3 hours away. Currently, mine is showing the single arrow until you get closer to the exit. The icon then changes to the lane assist view. I have seen this on different trips, highways and routes. This is in addition to the other issue reported here where lane assist has been lost for some routes and areas.

After reading these post I wonder if my lane assist notified me earlier. I do not remember it doing that. All I remember is one arrow until I am closer to my trun as it is doing now.

Getting old...

My 3790 has lane assist indicating the proper lane when you get closer than 3 or 2 miles to the intersection. 3 miles is for crossing of 2 freeways, and for all other cases 2 miles. It's been this way since I purchased the unit. At the time the map was 2011.30.

Actually, I noticed that myself. 2013.20 no longer gives Lane Assist indicators for every junction on a highway, but only gives them for the junction that the GPS' routing requires you to take. Only then does it switch over to Lane Assist indicators. As a result, Junction View now has more value, especially if you're like me and use a file with all the views.

For example, on Interstate 195 in Massachusetts you have exit 8A and 8B, which lead to SR-24 South and North in order. With 2013.10 and below, when traveling east on I-195 to North Dartmouth (exit 12) you would get a Lane Assist arrow for exit 8B directing you to remain in the straight lanes and having the turn lane taking you to SR-24 grayed out. Now with 2013.20 it just gives the standard indicator (Y-intersection, with the left branch grayed out, arrow on the right branch). The Junction View however makes it clear that you're not supposed to take the left branch but stay to the right.

While I honestly hope that this is simply a Garmin SNAFU due to the issues they were having with this map, I wonder if this is being done for the following reason: all the 2012 models include both Lane Assist and Junction View, Garmin feels the information is duplicated, and thus can be safely removed from Lane Assist.

williston's observations were the same as mine when I originally posted (see page 1 of this thread) and had firmware 7.10.

I've re-tested after updating to firmware 7.20 yesterday and get a single arrow all the way to the exit.

I've created a new mashup showing 2013.10 and 2013.20 maps with firmware 7.10 on the top, then 2013.20 maps with firmware 7.20 on the bottom. The left image shows the single arrow some distance from the exit. The right image shows the single arrow persisting right up to the exit. See mashup at http://goo.gl/cB7aF

I too have been experiencing intermittent lane assist issues as described above after a recent map update to 2013.20 Europe on my nuvi 3760.

After significant stuffing about I found that new freshly calculated routes would work fine however, old saved routes would not display lane assist or junction views.

This is my work around...
1. Go to: Where To? -> Trip Planner
2. Select: An old route
3. Select: Menu -> Edit Destinations
4. Select: Save

This will cause the route to be recalculated. When running through the route next time you should have Lane Assist and Junction View.

Works for me, YMMV.

That is what I really like about this site, everyone share their experiences and sometimes based on those give appropriate suggestions. In my case however, I do not have any created route, every time I chose a destination and let the GPS do the rest and I am still experiencing issues with lane assists.