Accuracy Comparison: Garmin City Navigator Vs Google Maps

I think it is hard to say based on one specific example. But in general, I would expect Google to be more up to date as they continually update their map data and of course, as a company have huge resources to draw on and a huge customer base to report errors and changes.

City Navigator is based on Here maps and get updated 4 times per year (at best ... recently announced that it will be 3 times).

Of course frequency of updates does not necessarily translate into accuracy, but I would still expect Google to have the edge.

Need to consider what you are navigating to. If it is an address, I would agree that Google is more likely to be correct.

However, if you are going to a "place" like a Jo-Ann Fabric and Craft store in West Wherever, it could go either way.

Google Map is the way to go.

Google Map is a "dynamic map" that gets realtime data update. That adds infinite value to the navigation.

Some examples,

#1 I was going to a place 8 miles away at 5:30PM. Normally, taking the highway would be the easiest and most straight forward route. I was surprised that Google Map advised me take local route through narrow streets. Later I figured out it was because of the traffic on highway. Google Map advises different routes based on realtime traffic.

#2 I entered a business address and start navigation on Google Map. Google Map will tell you "by the time you arrive, this location may be closed".

Thank you very much for the replies everybody. That is pretty much what I expected. I wonder if Garmin can learn from Google maps and someone reduce the time between updates, much like Google does.

As a side note, my wife and son were trying to find Pisgah National Forest in North Carolina. Since I wasn't looking over their shoulders when they searched for this, I have no idea why they couldn't find it the first time around. I took over driving after lunch and I had my wife navigate, which is typically what we do. We were much more successful this afternoon than they were this morning.

I guess if nothing else with regards to the whole Garmin vs. Google issue, perhaps the answer is both for traffic. The questions becomes when they are in conflict, who do you trust? Perhaps the answer to that for me is it bears further research when they have a significant conflict.

Another thought I had is to break out my well worn Garminfone and mount. The reason I mention that is because it is an Android phone and has a windshield mount. Maybe the next multi-state trip I make I will run both the Garmin Nuvi 3597 and the Garminfone, running Google maps, side by side and see how they compare.

Need to look into that.

There is also the free OpenMapChest maps at http://www.openmapchest.org/maps/united-states which are user updated. I used them briefly until the Garmin maps required my SD card. Previously I kept the Open Maps on my SD card and the Garmin maps on the device itself. I could then select which maps I wanted from the menu. They are definitely a good option for those who do not have a map update subscription.

According to Wikipedia, the Pisgah National Forest is over a half million acres. That's bigger than a lot of counties. Now if the map cannot get you to the Nation Forrest that would be pretty bad. But if 2 maps both get you to places inside the Nation Forrest it seems to me they are both "accurate", even if they are many miles apart.

The problem with Pisgah Forest is that it is so large and is in two different areas, so you would have to have a specific destination and not just "go to Pisgah Forest". Pisgah Forest is both southwest of Asheville (where the Cradle of Forestry is) and northeast of Asheville (where Mt. Mitchell is).

I agree, google will give you more information than using just the gps. but for the times you have no data connection the gps provides more detailed coverage.

I have always thought that the Google maps and directions more accurate than the Garmin.

Garmin has advantages as a standalone device and the navigation interface, which Google should be able to do easily (while they don't bother working on it).

We live in a very short street. With Garmin, when I search for my address it will lead me to a home three houses down the street. With Google, Its dead on, directly in front of my house.

I asked about this several years ago, and the response was that with short streets, an assumption is made to have 100 addresses on the street and an extrapolation is made from those 100 addresses for the length of the street. The entire length of our street includes 23 homes and is 0.3 mile long.

For business locations, I find that Garmin is reasonably accurate.

Are you talking about your nuvi 750? The older units use "logical" addressing, and as you observed, interpolation inaccuracy occurs frequently on addresses. Many newer nuvi models have "point" addressing which corrects this issue. I get the inaccurate address results on my older 755T and 855, but my 3597LMTHD is spot on for most addresses, using the same map version.

See Charlie's FAQ for more detail: http://www.poi-factory.com/node/42527

Well said - I agree completely... and would add that Google is evil... avoid it every chance I get...

No, I'm talking about address lookup from within Basecamp. Since the map is the same in both Basecamp and my GPSr, I'm assuming that the results will be the same no matter which GPSr I'm using. I just warn anyone trying to get to my house that if they are using Garmin devices to look for the number on the mailbox.

OK, I just went outside with my 3597 and searched for my address. The instruction was to drive south to another house a few hundred feet down the street.

Like I said, Google gets it right, but Garmin is still interpolating numbers on short streets.

Garmin and Google are both quite adequate ways to get around. And everyone has a preference.

Mine is Garmin because:

-Having used Garmins for eight years, they have never let me down--not even in the middle of Monument Valley or other such wireless service voids in the US and Canada.

-Having taken multiple trips in excess of 6,000 road miles with multiple planned stops enroute, I have never had to refer to a map at any time. (With Garmin or Google, I really can't get excited about an address that might be off by a few feet.)

-Enroute, the speed limit and traffic information have proven their worth more than once.

-The capability and flexibility of Basecamp makes planning a breeze.

-And, having used two different Garmin units for eight years, they have never cost me a penny in time or money other than the initial purchase.

PS I’ve also found using the Cookie Monster voice when there's kids in the car provides a lot of laughs.