Waze and Android auto

Jul 18, 2017
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Just found these apps, are they any good?
Your choice, but I have not enjoyed using Waze as we have found out very recently. We had to revert back to the good old TomTom. Waze gets you to the destination, but on occasions by the longest possible route. I think that our inbuilt car Satnav is better than Waze.
 

Sam Vimes

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Sep 7, 2020
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Waze and Android Auto are two different things.

Waze is a Sat Nav program that requires an internet connection and can chew through your data allowance by all accounts.

Android Auto is an app for your phone that allows it to connect to a car screen that's compatible with it or a separate stand alone screen. You can then run compatible apps on the car screen. Waze being one, Tomtogo another. Plus play music, make and receive calls and messages and other things.
 
Jul 18, 2017
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Waze and Android Auto are two different things.

Waze is a Sat Nav program that requires an internet connection and can chew through your data allowance by all accounts.

Android Auto is an app for your phone that allows it to connect to a car screen that's compatible with it or a separate stand alone screen. You can then run compatible apps on the car screen. Waze being one, TomTom Go another. Plus play music, make and receive calls and messages and other things.
Surely you use Waze though Android Auto so still use loads of data? Also playing music unless already downloaded, making calls etc all uses data on the phone.
 
Nov 11, 2009
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Waze and Android Auto are two different things.

Waze is a Sat Nav program that requires an internet connection and can chew through your data allowance by all accounts.

Android Auto is an app for your phone that allows it to connect to a car screen that's compatible with it or a separate stand alone screen. You can then run compatible apps on the car screen. Waze being one, Tomtogo another. Plus play music, make and receive calls and messages and other things.
Doesn’t Android Auto run Google maps from your phone. My Apple CarPlay allows me to run Apple Maps and Google Maps plus all the other junk on my phone if I feel the need.
 
Sep 26, 2018
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A couple of years back we went to the Caravan show at the NEC, and knowing that the roads around the M42/NEC were in uproar, I decided it was an ideal time to try Google Maps and Waze against each other, using Google Maps from our hotel to the NEC and Waze back. After the trial I was very keen to move back to the in-built car satnav! Both the Android apps failed in similar respects - in that instructions and screen indications were VERY LATE. In the Waze case, the directions didn't pop up until I was PAST the off slip.

Obviously, the immediate road layout is up to date with both apps, but I found them dangerous in those circumstances. The built in car system is SOOO Much better!
 

Sam Vimes

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Sep 7, 2020
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Surely you use Waze though Android Auto so still use loads of data? Also playing music unless already downloaded, making calls etc all uses data on the phone.
Android Auto (Carplay for Apple) is just an app that allows a connection from your phone to your Android Screen. The Screen is just an extension of your phone. Basically any Android Apps you start on the screen are running on your phone. So any of those apps that need data will get it through your phone.

Waze doesn't need Android Auto - you can just run it on your phone.

Making calls through Android Auto just uses your phones call plan most of which have unlimited calls and texts.
 
Jul 18, 2017
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Both the Android apps failed in similar respects - in that instructions and screen indications were VERY LATE. In the Waze case, the directions didn't pop up until I was PAST the off slip.
I had forgotten about that aspect as no fun being told to turn when you are right on top of the turn with a car following. Rather than brake suddenly I prefer to carry on to the next intersection.

Android Auto (Carplay for Apple) is just an app that allows a connection from your phone to your Android Screen. The Screen is just an extension of your phone. Basically any Android Apps you start on the screen are running on your phone. So any of those apps that need data will get it through your phone.

Waze doesn't need Android Auto - you can just run it on your phone.

Making calls through Android Auto just uses your phones call plan most of which have unlimited calls and texts.
As far as I am aware TomTom Go, Waze, Google maps etc do not require Android Auto to operate, but they all use data whether used on the phone or through Android Auto. Your post #6 seemed to indicate that if Android Auto, data was not used?
 
Nov 6, 2005
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Waze and Android Auto are two different things.

Waze is a Sat Nav program that requires an internet connection and can chew through your data allowance by all accounts.
I've not found that Waze uses unreasonable amounts of data - I only have 5Gb/month on my phone and never get near the limit
 

Sam Vimes

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Sep 7, 2020
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I had forgotten about that aspect as no fun being told to turn when you are right on top of the turn with a car following. Rather than brake suddenly I prefer to carry on to the next intersection.


As far as I am aware TomTom Go, Waze, Google maps etc do not require Android Auto to operate, but they all use data whether used on the phone or through Android Auto. Your post #6 seemed to indicate that if Android Auto, data was not used?
Tomtomgo and Google Maps can work off line. Tomtomgo stores maps of the UK or other country on your phone. Google maps can store off line a small area which would then need to be update..I.e downloaded... if you move out of the area.

I'm not very familiar with Waze but believe it needs a connection most of the time.

I don't think my previous post 6, stated that if you use Android Auto data isn't used. Regardless Android Auto itself doesn't need on line data, it's the apps that are running that do.
 
Nov 6, 2005
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Tomtomgo and Google Maps can work off line. Tomtomgo stores maps of the UK or other country on your phone. Google maps can store off line a small area which would then need to be update..I.e downloaded... if you move out of the area.

I'm not very familiar with Waze but believe it needs a connection most of the time.

I don't think my previous post 6, stated that if you use Android Auto data isn't used. Regardless Android Auto itself doesn't need on line data, it's the apps that are running that do.
Waze needs an internet connection to get a route started but once you're on the move and got a signal it copes with loss of signal.

I use Waze most days and certainly didn't suffer data restriction on a 2000 mile roadtrip, all done under Waze navigation.
 

Sam Vimes

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Sep 7, 2020
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That is true, but surely you still need to download the data for them to work offline?
For Tomtomgo once the maps are downloaded to your phone, which as Tobes states can be done at home, you don't need to do it again... except for map updates.

(One exception....Tomtomgo needs to check your subscription is valid each day using a data connection but that's a small amount of data )

Google maps aren't quite the same because you can only download a limited sized area. Move outside that area and you need to download the next segment.
 
Nov 11, 2009
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I thought Google Maps only uses 3-5mb of data per hour using basic navigation,More if using satellite view up to 20mb per hour, and somewhere in between if using live traffic updates. So not really a big user of data, around 6 gb per month if using 10 hours per day.
 

Sam Vimes

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Sep 7, 2020
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This is a caravan forum, so I would expect that you are out and about and no home wifi available. :D
But you only need to do it once at home if you use something like Tomtomgo. Then you can use it for as long as you like without a connection.
 
Jun 20, 2005
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I much prefer to jump in the car , turn on the engine and the sat nav tells me where to go. 🙃
If only!🙉😵‍💫
The only system I am envious of is the one in my Son’s Volvo XC Recharge. It is real time reacting to road works and general hold ups.👍

No idea how it works but it is impressive getting us through the back roads of Leeds City Centre in minimal time and hardly stopping.
Sorry, it is still the atlas for us using the VW sat nav as a limited back up. We tell,it where we are going😜
 
Nov 6, 2005
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Doubt if it is many? probably a few have wifi set up, but they would still be downloading data as they are using a sim card?
If their setup can handle streaming films, etc the extra data for satnav will be small by comparison.

Some sites provide WIFI as well as caravanners with their own setup.
 

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