Hi, I already posted this on G+ community. But I didn't get any reactions. So I guess I'll try to post it here too.
I have some suggestion how could be Mapfactor Navigator improved. First of all let me say that it is a great navigation and I use it for many years. I have used the Windows version on a UMPC and now I use the Android version.
I would like to see following features implemented:
1) Better system for avoiding roads. It should be possible to avoid highways (or other toll roads) per country. It is useful especially in Europe where you have to pay for vignettes in many countries. Sometimes you would only use it for a few kilometers. Another option should be to block a complete road. Currently I can (in OSM maps) block one segment. It would be nice if I could block a whole highway (D1 in Czechia, A12 in Austria, A1 or H2 in Solvenia etc.) Also the road blocking should not be general, but related to a planned trip.
2) Better system for handling way-points. Currently if I set a way-point and later start another trip, it suggests me to use the previous way-point(s). It would be better to ask me if I want to start a new trip or continue with the previous. If I choose a new navigation, the old destination, way-points and blocked roads should be automatically saved. Again way-points should be related to a planned route, not set globally.
These are the things that bother me most. Both features I mentioned are quite well implemented in iGo navigation, if you need some inspiration.
I have some more ideas which are only cosmetic or would be very difficult to implement. But it would be very nice to have them.
3) Introduce better announcements, which would better describe where to do the maneuver. Like turn left on next traffic lights, turn right on the second crossroad, turn right at the end of street, stay on the main road etc. Announcing only the distance is sometimes confusing. Also the case when the main road turns and minor road continues straight is not handled unambiguously.
5) Collect information from drivers regarding average speed on certain roads and backport them to OSM (or own database). Then use these information to calculate the fastest way. Also add penalty for crossroads with traffic light or where you have to yield.
4)We have some experiments with shading of hills or with contour maps but I am really unsure about these projects. For 3D terrain we need our hardware renderer and it is still too much work on it to do more features there.
As I already mentioned in my first post, I know that the points 3, 4 and 5 are very difficult to implement. I'm a SW developer, so I understand it. The point 2 is only annoying. For me is very important the first point. I travel quite a lot and sometimes I want to avoid highways in Austria or Slovenia, because I would only use a few kilometers of them. The other time I wont to use them because it would take to much time to avoid them. Currently this is not possible with Mapfactor.
I am surprised to be the only one for ~2 years now to suggest/wait for mirrolink in few posts here.
I can propose three explanations:
- I am the only one to have both a car with a touch screen compatible mirrorlink and to be a Navigator user on my Lollipop or Marsmallow Android smartphone. Thus nobody else is interested in the feature?
- Getting the Mirrorlink certification by the Car Connectivity Consortium costs a lot of money, which is the main issue for a freeware?
- CCC constrained by lobbies refuses certification to a freeware that can harm to other paid apps for navigation (like Sigic Car navigation or BringGo, both mirrorlink compatible)?