Like many commuters, I live much of my life droning in a sea of cars to and from work. Dedicating two hours a day behind the wheel, along with the several times a week I am out of the office (editorial work, you know), I figure I waste at least 22 days of my life each year staring at someone's bumper. I guess I can chalk that up to living in a large metropolitan area where the $3-a-gallon gas prices have yet to deter people from driving.
And then along came XM Satellite Radio. Yes, the company's 150 channels of music, talk radio, sports, news and weather already make it worth the buy, but now it offers something more useful than entertaining--something that could conceivably help you out of a jam, errr, traffic jam. XM has been working with the likes of Pioneer Electronics (and certainly others) to broadcast to your vehicle live traffic updates named NavTraffic. I am not talking about a live commentator, rather a satellite link that streams digital traffic information to your mobile navigation system, in this case a Pioneer AVIC-N2. Of course, to get the information you'll also need to purchase Pioneer's GEX-P10XMT tuner.
If the AVIC-N2 looks familiar, that's probably because it is essentially the same unit as the AVIC-N1 introduced a year or so ago. The N2 is just the newest evolution offering a few technological upgrades. Some of the key improvements over the old system are as follows:
A new "Interlock" system prevents use of DVD video and other cumbersome navigation functions while driving. It is illegal in many states to watch TV/DVD in the front seat while the vehicle is in motion, and Pioneer has opted to lock out this feature while driving.
Several new shortcut keys or features of have been introduced, such as the "Entire Route" shortcut key that allows the user to scale out to an appropriate level to see "entire route" on one screen. The shortcut keys on the map are now customizable and, if assigned, the POIs/Vicinity Search can be overlaid while driving.
Pioneer's AVIC-N2 and XM Radio...
Pioneer's AVIC-N2 and XM Radio make commuting Less Stressful
The map has undergone several changes. The TeleAtlas database now offers 20 percent more map coverage while the POI database has been edited for less replication and similar entries. A direct scale change button offers easier access to different map scales and the number of scales has increased.
Guidance has been improved and the Guide View now incorporates guide arrows into full map. "Home Area" can be saved as a "corridor" that maximizes traffic functionality even when in Memory Navi Mode. To provide a more realistic view, signboard graphics at freeway junctions mimic that of what the customer sees while they are driving.
Three new gauge designs have been introduced to the vehicle dynamics display.
The Emergency Info screen now offers current location information, along with area to store personal information important in case of emergency. One year of free roadside assistance is provided by Signature's Nationwide Autoclub
On the Road
Like satellite radio, XM NavTraffic operates using a satellite communication network. This, of course, means that you will have both a satellite radio and GPS antenna lurking somewhere on vehicle--ahhh, the price you pay for technology. Data for XM NavTraffic is aggregated by NAVTEQ Traffic using multiple sources including leading commercial traffic data providers, government departments of transportation, police and emergency services, road sensors, cameras and airborne reports. With the NavTraffic service you get detailed traffic information including traffic incidents and general traffic flow, viewable when utilizing the navigation map or as a list. Unfortunately, traffic information is not available everywhere or on every road. On the plus side, signing up for XM NavTraffic also gets you up-to-date stock information and sports scores.
While driving amongst the scores of cars (and dodging bullets from pissed-off, gun crazed Southern Californians) over a broad span of the Orange and LA County vicinities, the AVIC-N2 with XM NavTraffic came in very handy. In the Map View navigation mode, traffic flow was presented by various colors overlaying the road map, flashing those areas of slower traffic. I noted the color changes, red, yellow and green, typically correlated with traffic flowing at approx 10, 20 and 40 MPH, respectively. These speeds are highlighted within matching colored bubbles that pop up in the area referencing traffic. Accidents, road work, lane closed, warning/danger and slippery road conditions all are denoted by a corresponding icon that too are related to slow traffic indications. As you approach any of these situations, a voice prompts you on the traffic situation ahead and will advise you to select an alternative route. Information, such as the difference in time and travel between the existing route and new route and the distance from the current position of your vehicle to the point of entry into the new route, will appear at the left of the screen. On this screen, you can select to keep your existing route or choose a new route. Of course, depending on your particular destination and current location, it is not always faster to choose a new route, as I found out. Regardless, the system did help me through some taxing traffic situations by cutting several minutes out of my drive.
While the NavTraffic is best used with a selected route, it can be used without a destination in mind. By touching the XM TRFC icon on the screen, traffic incidents are reported in an orderly format based on proximity, with the closest situation first (this function can be used with a selected route too). The same traffic flow and precautions appear on the navigation map, but no warnings are announced.
The navigation feature set of the Pioneer AVIC-N2 is fairly intuitive. The menus are well laid out, but the vast amount of options may overwhelm some users. One of the worthwhile features is the Interlock system. While a great step for keeping users from watching a DVD or using some of the cumbersome navigation features while driving, it appeared to me that the feature set it lets you use could have been expanded to include some of the other easy-to-use navigation elements. Unfortunately, you still have to stop to enter some single input selections. Regardless, the Interlock feature will certainly keep people's attention towards driving-- too bad it doesn't affect those who opt to use their cell phone while smoking a cigarette and driving a 5-speed manual simultaneously.
Retail cost of the Pioneer AVIC-N2 and GEX-P10XMT are $2,200 and $330, respectively.
For more information, visit www.pioneerelectronics.com. Subscribing to XM NavTraffic costs $9.99 a month or $16.94 when combined with XM Radio. Currently, XM NavTraffic is only effective in 22 markets across North America. For more information on this service, go to www.xmradio.com/xmnavtraffic.Navigating Traffic, OEM-Style
Navigating Traffic, OEM-Styl
Text:Ben Oh
We sometimes conduct a little anecdotal research just to get an idea of what drivers' habits might be. Perhaps we shouldn't be too surprised to find many people don't always make use of the different kinds of technology at their fingertips. With audio, a Bluetooth connection for your mobile phone, DVD, navigation and now real-time traffic information on a built-in monitor, maybe it's a bit overwhelming, especially for those of us that grew up driving cars with nothing more than AM/FM receivers and a cassette player. More so than not, it seems the very people who can afford a luxury-level vehicle with the upgrades are the most likely to avoid the technology they paid extra for. Just ask our parents, or yours. Frankly, we're just waiting for the right moment to ask dad if we can trade cars.
While we wait for the "old man" to mull over the offer, we are fortunate enough to be able to test drive some press vehicles. We naturally couldn't pass up the opportunity to sit in a 2005 Cadillac CTS and Acura RL and push every button, and hit every road in the region at various times of the day, just hoping for a minor fender-bender a few miles up ahead so that we might be able to see how fast NavTraffic would pass along that info to us. Well, we're kidding about the accidents--that pretty much is a given anyway on southern California roads--but indeed we twisted every knob and, as strange as it sounds, gladly sat in all kinds of traffic. Beyond navigation we had plenty to preoccupy us. The CTS has XM Satellite and a 6-disc in-dash CD changer (the system also plays your DVDs when parked) with the Bose speaker setup. It's not likely to set send an audio-inspired shiver up your spine, but it's adequate. The RL comes equipped with its well-advertised DVD-A system, a hit and miss for us. While there's good separation, imaging is not as defined as it should; and as we found on the CTS, it too is short of sufficient in terms of low-frequency response.
Cadillac CTS
If you think about it, the idea of having traffic info in the car seems like something out of a sci-fi movie. That's a cool concept. That being said, will all the people that get NavTraffic, or even just a navigation system, use the technology? Probably not. Notwithstanding that, we have to say it is practically a must-have for drivers--at some point you'll probably have to fire it up. As regards the CTS, we're confident that even not so tech-savvy people will catch on to it soon enough. The truth of that statement is supported by our assessment of just how easy the system is to use on the Cadillac CTS. Without exaggeration we can say that the average person should be able to get in the vehicle and figure out what to do without consulting a manual. It's nice to see Cadillac regain its former stature as a symbol of American automotive luxury. The new vehicle design doesn't leave much room in the middle ground--if you don't appreciate its looks right off, give it a little time. It definitely grew on us. That's similar to the reaction we had to what's on the inside of the CTS. That's because it looks cut and dry, not necessarily meant to appeal to your senses, but rather to connect with your sense of logic. Need a specific button for a certain function? It's right there. Practically every function has its own button and there's no complicated menu to click through; but, yes, you sacrifice a little on the aesthetics. Considering how frustrated people can get with brain-stumping technology, many drivers would probably gladly make that sacrifice.
We drove the car all around southern California. For the most part the NavTraffic system worked well. We should also credit the CTS system for the way it works. If you need traffic information, push the Traf button. The screen will go into split screen, showing the map on the right and a text window on the left. The information in text form makes it very easy for drivers to see what's going on. You can check on your current road, the road ahead or other freeways nearby. The list is extensive, as it should be. You can scroll through them quickly and find out what you need to know in a matter of seconds. The only problem though is that it doesn't always provide exact information. But we're not going to quibble about inaccuracies such as the flow of the traffic being 40mph when the screen displays a message saying it should be 20mph. Reverse those numbers though and your feeling of relief turns into mild aggravation. However, it's important to note that it didn't happen very often. For the most part it functioned just as you would hope.
GM offers the combined XM service free for the first three months on the CTS. After three months a driver would pay the total price stated earlier in the section on the Pioneer N2. I would imagine anyone using it for those three months would automatically sign up for continued service.
If you're a fan of the new Caddy, you should really appreciate the fact that you can have NavTraffic, plus all the XM content, and the other aforementioned features in a luxury car that's in the low $30,000 neighborhood. Not exactly a cheap area, but very affordable. And what the CTS lacks in interior sophistication it definitely makes up for with its ergonomic dash and "instant" ease-of-use.
Acura RL
The real benefit of using navigation systems that provide traffic updates may not be so much in the category of saving time. Ultimately, if you live in a major urban area (NavTraffic is available in about 20 major metropolitan areas) there are only so many routes for your various regular destinations. When traffic is heavy, usually that applies to most of your alternate routes as well. And it doesn't always take a major accident to cause slow downs; sometimes roads are just more crowded. The two main or critical reasons you want traffic information are for accident alerts and your sanity. No kidding around. Just knowing what's going on traffic-wise can help you deal with the delays that are pretty much normal, day in, day out. When Acura says their AcuraLink (which is a standard feature on the RL) should save people time and aggravation, the reader should put the emphasis on aggravation.
Our experience has been that it's not that easy to adjust your routes, again because traffic is everywhere! Moreover, you don't know how long a congestion will last or how much time before the accident you've read about on your monitor is going to clear up. It's not as though at the end of the year the equivalent of a work-week that you spend in traffic is going to be reduced by a third simply because you have traffic updates. On the other hand it will save you at some crucial moment of your driving life when you absolutely need to be someplace and can avoid a shifting parking lot, otherwise known as the American urban highway.
XM Nav Traffic
Practical matters aside, we really appreciated being able to simply know what was happening on the road beyond the huge SUVs we would often get stuck behind in traffic. The way the Acura provided that information contrasted with the CTS. In general the former took the opposite approach of the latter. The dash in the RL has more cosmetic appeal. It looks cool, sure, but I doubt most drivers would be able to get going on the navigation system right away--easier to look at but more difficult to use. The main control knob for clicking through the menu is also very cool (and we admit, kind of fun--it really feels like you're doing something with all that turning, clicking, pushing), but one control for many functions can make it less intuitive. We don't mean to exaggerate the difficulty of using the nav system. It's not true to say it's not easy to use; rather, in comparison with the CTS, it just seems more complex.
Once you get the hang of how to navigate the navigation system, you'll find it has its advantages. We found the control knob very effective for inputting addresses. Since the NavTraffic on the RL is the same one in the CTS, in terms of the information there was no difference of course, but the presentation of that information was quite different. AcuraLink utilizes symbols instead of text to alert you of what's going on around you. It displays different color lines to indicate how congested the road is. It can be a little confusing to decipher things when you're sneaking peeks at the screen while driving. Accidents and other alerts are also indicated visually via symbols. These are not major issues. Certainly, we had no trouble understanding the visual cues. A consumer should simply choose the system that is best for him or her, with consideration of other features on the contrasting vehicles we tested.
The Acura RL is a very fine luxury car. Fully loaded, our press vehicle was priced slightly under $50,000. It has 300hp for easy passing on the freeway and is a highly civilized ride around town. It handles beautifully too. The overall level of sophistication and the combined audio/DVD/navigation system put the price tag into perspective. At the said price, this would be a value-sound purchase.