In Android Auto there is a long list of compatible GPS navigators that you can use. Yes, Google Maps is the most common because it is Google’s darling and is present as standard on all Android phones, but over these years of using Google’s infotainment system I have been able to try a few: I really like TomTom AmiGo and others. lesser known ones like Magic Earth or Maps.me, I have also tried them well. But in the end I always come back to the same thing: Waze on Android Auto has no rival and after years of use it is clear to me.
Design and interface
THE Waze’s casual and eye-catching colors are a blessing While like me, you tend to get lost when there is a density of streets or roads on the route you are following. Not to mention the large number of customization options it offers in this sense, being able to change the voice of the assistance or the vehicle (for example, for Santa’s sleigh at Christmas), details.
The interface is designed to be clear and understandable at first glance.: with a magnifying glass in the upper right corner to enter the destination, have at your fingertips the ability to turn on or off sounds, cancel the route or return to the route or settings.
While driving, it is very clear Where are you and where are you going?s. So it shows two bubbles with the kilometers and the estimated arrival time, what is the next change you will have to make and which exit to take and of course, the pointer with the route in purple or the speedometer with the road speed and where you are going at all times (an important detail to drive safely and avoid fines that has existed for years).
You can also tap the map to drag it around as you wish, as well as zoom in and out and learn about incidents on the road, something we’ll have time to talk about later. Everything is at your fingertips and, above all, everything is easy to understand.. The only downside I put in this section is that from time to time you get an ad, it’s nothing dramatic and it’s the price to pay to use it for free, but when they appear it’s annoying.
It is true that It doesn’t provide as much information about the environment as Google Maps (where you can see shops, stores, hotels, etc.), but you still have to enter the categories section to sift through and reach a cafeteria or pharmacy. Of course, this must be done with the car stationary, as the application itself warns.
The design is remarkable from the point of view of intuitiveness and has the essentials. And there is one point that I cannot forget: ebutton to report road incidentswhich can range from a mobile radar to a traffic jam or the police in just two taps. Plus, if there is a warning, the app displays it clearly: from a radar to a stopped car, something you can confirm with a single tap to keep the app as up to date as possible and help other people who use the app.
Finally, it is worth noting that it has been perfectly integrated with Coolwalk for some time, so it can be used by sharing the screen with other applications.
Plans
The question of maps is not trivial, as long as it is interesting to use an up-to-date and complete browserso that it always offers us the best route and is up to date with milestones such as new detours or closed roads.
that’s what Google-owned Waze is a guaranteewhile the Mountain View company typically drives cars around the world’s streets and highways to keep its databases up to date.
I have to say that this is neither the first nor the last time that he shows a route that is no longer operational (it happened to me last summer, going from Calahorra to Ribadeo with a detour through Castilla y León), but the fact is that In my experience, everyone fails sooner or later.even the free version of Tomtom, with its extensive navigation experience.
Anyway, the experience it offers Waze in terms of directions and mapping seems to me to be the best there is.
Functioning
This is not a typical analysis since it is not a test of a few days or weeks, but I have been using Waze on Android Auto for years and I have done it with several mobile phones and in a few cars, which for example has allowed me to verify that Waze is not only designed to be intuitive, but that in practice it is, even if It is not free from errors and unexpected closures.
So, on certain occasions When trying to open Waze to write the destination it crashed and it only worked for me after opening Google Maps first. This doesn’t happen to me with Apple CarPlay, so it may be more of a system issue than the app itself.
Likewise, in the M-30 tunnels in Madrid, I sometimes had it freeze and had to close and reopen after getting the signal back (Google Maps has the option of Bluetooth positioning beacons). These are specific things, but it is important to point out that Google Maps is generally more reliable and consistent.
Having said this, The operation is impeccable both in design and experience. and a good part of the fault lies with its community: notifying road markers is just two taps and confirming them is just one. So, if the police arrive at an intersection, in a few minutes you will be able to see it on the app map thanks to the size and activity of your community. Without being a radar app, it seems to me to be the free GPS navigator that gives the most and the best warnings to avoid fines.
Possibilities
I talked above about the customization options, a plus to have an experience more to our taste, but if we talk about those related to driving, Waze has annoying options. In this sense, it is worth taking a closer look and spending some time tweaking Waze’s settings to get the most out of it.
If you are overwhelmed by so many things, There are much simpler GPS navigators out there and the reality is you don’t need much from them. for the most part, but if you drive often, I think it’s worth it. In fact, you can do things like set up fewer warnings, enter common addresses to save time later, carefully choose the speed camera warning, and some that I’m particularly interested in, like avoiding tolls, unpaved roads, and difficult intersections.
These last two options are not on Google Maps and I missed them, because it is not the first time that, because it took me earlier, Google offers an almost difficult path for my Polo.
Conclusions
There are paid GPS navigators, but beyond getting rid of ads and offering a more careful privacy policy (Google is not a company that stands out for this, precisely), In terms of features or maps, they don’t surpass Waze.. And the reality is that the server has difficulty placing the order and I know I am not alone in this case.
With a GPS navigator for Android Auto, what we want is to take us from point A to point B in the best possible way, that is, with a route that is as fast, safe and with the lowest possible mileagewhat Waze does largely: its mapping is good but it is above all its community which provides real-time alerts to avoid possible problems.
If we also take into account the long list of options and customization settings, as well as the agility and visual of its interface, the summary is that we have an easy-to-use, practical and complete applicationa combo that is not easy to achieve. It achieves it on mobile, but its adaptation to Android Auto is fantastic, offering a good experience without giving up features.
I have tested the main GPS navigation apps for Android and iOS in general and for Android Auto in particular and I have one thing clear: overall, Waze is the bestby going through the checkout or not.
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In Xataka Android | Waze on Android Auto: How to use it and everything you can do
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