Android app for navigation (1 Viewer)

[Jewellbags]

One of you kind folks recently recommended a free android app suitable for motorhomes ? Please advise of any recommmedations

Cheers

 

[Sasbo]

Try Road Lords from the Google Play store. Its free and has a feature to input motorhome dimensions.

 

[JockandRita]

One of you kind folks recently recommended a free android app suitable for motorhomes ? Please advise of any recommmedations

Cheers

If you mean a Navigation App, Magic Earth is one, but as an owner and driver of a larger MH, I prefer Road Lords. You can still enter your weights, axles, and dimensions, however I found it more reliable than Magic Earth, and leaps ahead of Google Maps, which are fine if driving less and smaller than 3500Kgs. They don't half take you along some unsuitable routes sometimes.

HTH,

Jock.

 

[Jewellbags]

That’s the one , cheers !!

 

[Guigsy]

I'm currently paying for Sygic Truck, which is vehicle dimension aware and has Android Auto. But most of the time I use Google Maps because it's got more accurate mapping, far better traffic info, and useful search. Vehicle width very rarely makes a difference to routing. Most of the time it feels like a placebo feature.

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[fred_jb]

I use MyRoute Navigation, which is now motorhome aware and lets you enter dimensions, though it puts up a best efforts disclaimer if you set vehicle type to motorhome. I originally used this for motorcycle touring when I wanted to pre-plan routes for the most scenic roads, but now also use it sometimes in the camper. Possibly not the slickest satnav app, but I like it, and it has recently become Android Auto compatible. I continue to stick with it because the associated route planning software is so good and so easy to use, though the website version is easier for planning a route on your PC compared to doing it on a phone. In either case the resulting route is saved in their cloud, and along with the maps, routes can be downloaded to the phone making you independent of whether you have a mobile data connection which can be an advantage over the likes of Google maps which I do also use.

 

[JockandRita]

But most of the time I use Google Maps because it's got more accurate mapping, far better traffic info, and useful search. Vehicle width very rarely makes a difference to routing. Most of the time it feels like a placebo feature.

Fine if you drive nothing over 3500Kgs, and 3 x metres in height. I have done the experiments, so know their limitations.
Cheers,

Jock.

 

[Guigsy]

Fine if you drive nothing over 3500Kgs, and 3 x metres in height. I have done the experiments, so know their limitations.
Cheers,

Jock.

Pretty much every weight restriction is 7.5t. And height restrictions are even more rare. A good proportion of width restrictions I've seen are incorrectly mapped. Yes, you need to apply common sense with satnav. But so far, I've failed to see the benefit when testing Road Lords, TomTom and Sygic Truck.

 

[JockandRita]

Pretty much every weight restriction is 7.5t.

Here in the UK, but not so abroad, however, they mostly do not apply to "Camping Cars", especially in France.

But so far, I've failed to see the benefit when testing Road Lords, TomTom and Sygic Truck.

You've clearly not driven a 44 Tonner using either of the above Apps. I have with Magic Earth, and Road Lords. The latter gets my vote, as Magic Earth 3 x times on the same day, tried to take me down 7.5T weight restrictions.

Cheers,

Jock.

 

[Guigsy]

Here in the UK, but not so abroad, however, they mostly do not apply to "Camping Cars", especially in France.


You've clearly not driven a 44 Tonner using either of the above Apps. I have with Magic Earth, and Road Lords. The latter gets my vote, as Magic Earth 3 x times on the same day, tried to take me down 7.5T weight restrictions.

Cheers,

Jock.

A motorhome is clearly not 44t. It's much closer to a car weight.

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[JockandRita]

A motorhome is clearly not 44t. It's much closer to a car weight.

You don't say. Ours however at 6850Kgs, is close to Truck weight, so I stand by my recommendations to the OP, based on my experiences using Truck Sat Navs over many years.

Regards,

Jock.

 

[Guigsy]

You don't say. Ours however at 6850Kgs, is close to Truck weight, so I stand by my recommendations to the OP, based on my experiences using Truck Sat Navs over many years.

Regards,

Jock.

There's a 6'6" restriction in Norfolk that's been there for at least a decade. Sygic, Road Lords and TomTom didn't know about. There's a width restriction in Bicester that all 3 have in the wrong place that's been there for years. And a 2m restriction in the Peak District that none of them knew about. And a 3.5t recommended route in Ireland that was marked as a restriction in Sygic. Combine with their poor traffic info and mediocre routing, and I prefer to just try my chances with Google.

 

[JockandRita]

and I prefer to just try my chances with Google.

You carry on then. I'll continue with my 9" Chinese Truck Sat Nav with the latest updates (2023 Q4) for the iGo mapping, which has taken us all over western Europe in both our MHs over past years, and when out in the truck occasionally, I'll carry on with Road Lords on my Android phone, for areas I am not familiar with.

Cheers,

Jock.

 

[Guigsy]

You carry on then. I'll continue with my 9" Chinese Truck Sat Nav with the latest updates (2023 Q4) for the iGo mapping, which has taken us all over western Europe in both our MHs over past years, and when out in the truck occasionally, I'll carry on with Road Lords on my Android phone, for areas I am not familiar with.

Cheers,

Jock.

Pretty sure Road Lords is just Sygic with a different interface. Sygic uses TomTom mapping. I wonder what your Chinese satnav uses, because I'm pretty confident they don't do the mapping themselves.

 

[JockandRita]

I wonder what your Chinese satnav uses, because I'm pretty confident they don't do the mapping themselves.

HERE Mapping, and so much better than TOMTOM.

Map Data | Static Map API | Platform | HERE

Access advanced map data and static map APIs to build and deploy located-based services. Enrich your base maps with POIs, landmarks, postal codes, and more. Learn more.

www.here.com

HERE Navigation | Connected Navigation | Applications | HERE

Deliver an always up-to-date navigation experience to your customers. Reduce your development and lifecycle costs with a flexible SaaS on-demand navigation solution. Learn more.

www.here.com

When I get a new Sat Nav, (not very often), and it comes with TOMTOM mapping, I immediately change the maps for HERE mapping.

Cheers,

Jock.

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[Next Stop]

I so want to like Roadlords as on paper it has everything going for it. Vehicle DImensions, backing by Sygic and Tomtom and it's free. But living in West Cornwall we have some prime satnav testing grounds and Roadlords has sent me down some questionable routes that even Google avoided.

Half a mile of a road like this was enough to put me off. I'm sure in the real world it is fine, but for me is a no no.

 

[Guigsy]

I so want to like Roadlords as on paper it has everything going for it. Vehicle DImensions, backing by Sygic and Tomtom and it's free. But living in West Cornwall we have some prime satnav testing grounds and Roadlords has sent me down some questionable routes that even Google avoided.

View attachment 889244

Half a mile of a road like this was enough to put me off. I'm sure in the real world it is fine, but for me is a no no.

The reality is that they don't have great information about narrow lanes. It's too hard to quantify. A road that's really narrow, but good forward visibility and has lots of well marked passing spots is easier than something that's 5m wide, but though a winding wall of hedges.

 

[Next Stop]

The reality is that they don't have great information about narrow lanes. It's too hard to quantify. A road that's really narrow, but good forward visibility and has lots of well marked passing spots is easier than something that's 5m wide, but though a winding wall of hedges.

This is so true, until we reach a point where all roads are maps in exact detail we will always have blundering satnavs in the news.
There are a few out there that try their best to limit the amount of time you travel on small roads but again, these are not perfect.
Keeping your eyes open is what helps.
I think it's been said on here before that most apps/devices have the bulk of the routing polished, it's just the last mile or so where they fudge up.