Google Car has competition

 

Tonight I went over to Walmart to get some grocery items. I was surprised to see a "TomTom Car" parked in the lot. Yep, all fitted out with the tripod on top with the scanning camera, dual GPS antennas and TomTom emblazoned on the sides. Did not know that they were taking pictures of highways. I guess they need pictures for the signage info for lane advisements, etc.

I've seen several Google cars with the tripod, etc., but I had never seen a TomTom car before. I did take a picture of it with the cell phone.

I wonder if Garmin (or "Here Maps") does the same, as the lane guidance views look awfully realistic. The trees in the background were shaped exactly as they were for my exit. Although the trees are now gone due to the addition of more lanes (soon to be a 6 lane section of interstate instead of 4 lanes).

Anybody ever seen a "Garmin street view" car?

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Metricman DriveSmart 76 Williamsburg, VA

Me Too

I saw one of the TomTom cars a couple of years ago out here on the Left Coast, although it was very briefly because we were both driving and were headed in different directions.

- Tom -

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XXL540, GO LIVE 1535, GO 620

Google car has competition

I have seen the Google car 3X and have been caught on camera twice.

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The Home of BLUMARU HOUNDS

I've seen Apple

I've seen Google Street View cars three to six times. I saw the Apple version a couple of years very close to my house. The distinctive thing on the Apple car was that it carried obvious LIDAR sensors in addition to the cameras.

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personal GPS user since 1992

Google Garmin

The lane guidance pics are real pics

The Picture Mobile

I have seen the google maps car a few times on the highway over the years. No TomTom car yet.

Tele Atlas

TomTom uses Tele Atlas maps which since 2008 has been a wholly owned subsidiary of TomTom. Tele Atlas came close to being owned by Garmin, but was outbid by TomTom. You can read about it here: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tele_Atlas

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Alan - Android Auto, DriveLuxe 51LMT-S, DriveLuxe 50LMTHD, Nuvi 3597LMTHD, Oregon 550T, Nuvi 855, Nuvi 755T, Lowrance Endura Sierra, Bosch Nyon

Actually

metricman wrote:

I wonder if Garmin (or "Here Maps") does the same, as the lane guidance views look awfully realistic. The trees in the background were shaped exactly as they were for my exit. Although the trees are now gone due to the addition of more lanes (soon to be a 6 lane section of interstate instead of 4 lanes).

Anybody ever seen a "Garmin street view" car?

Actually it's a Here car. I've seen them at least 4 times over the years, right back to when the Navteq logo was on the side of the car. The last time I saw one was in the parking lot at the M Hotel and Casino in Henderson (read Las Vegas) NV.

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Nuvi 350, 760, 1695LM, 3790LMT, 2460LMT, 3597LMTHD, DriveLuxe 50LMTHD, DriveSmart 61, Garmin Drive 52, Garmin Backup Camera 40 and TomTom XXL540s.

I got photo'd

I was driving my bus one day and Google car crossed right in front of me. I wrote down the date, Apr 14/15, and a couple of months later, there is was, me in my bus smile

https://bit.ly/38Azcy0

WOW..

dbusguy wrote:

I was driving my bus one day and Google car crossed right in front of me. I wrote down the date, Apr 14/15, and a couple of months later, there is was, me in my bus smile

https://bit.ly/38Azcy0

That's Cool!!! I like stuff like this!

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Bobkz - Garmin Nuvi 3597LMTHD/2455LMT/C530/C580- "Pain Is Fear Leaving The Body - Semper Fidelis"

Yeah one day I'd like my car

Yeah one day I'd like my car to drive me to work and when running errands, or any mundane trips. Probably not in my lifetime though, and almost certainly fierce push back if it ever got close. The RC factor at work (Resistance to Change).

Self drive car will be here

in 15-20 years or so.

Probably true, but ...

dtran1 wrote:

Self drive car will be here … in 15-20 years or so.

chances are I won't be.

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Alan - Android Auto, DriveLuxe 51LMT-S, DriveLuxe 50LMTHD, Nuvi 3597LMTHD, Oregon 550T, Nuvi 855, Nuvi 755T, Lowrance Endura Sierra, Bosch Nyon

Actually Tort Laws will have to be updated/changed Dramaticly

sunsetrunner wrote:

Yeah one day I'd like my car to drive me to work and when running errands, or any mundane trips. Probably not in my lifetime though, and almost certainly fierce push back if it ever got close. The RC factor at work (Resistance to Change).

Before something like Self Driving Cars can happen, laws must be updated, changed. You have a Wreck self driving car or Self driving car hits you. Who is at Fault or responsible? Goggle or other big money will have lawyers that can tie up in Court for Decades if They are at Fault.You will say it was the car, they will say it was your interference or that other car caused it.