CoPilot GPS 11 -- What have they done?

[GeoffL]

I've been using CoPilot GPS on Android for years, originally it was CoPilot Caravan but they changed it to CoPilot GPS a few years ago and honoured my lifetime licence. However, the app updated over the weekend from version 10 to version 11 -- and it ain't pretty (at least, not on my phone) Although the track to follow when navigating is displayed, the streets are not and also the Settings menu has changed so that the Styles submenu has gone. I wonder whether this is just me or have other CoPilot users noticed similar?

 

[Canalsman]

I started a thread about this a week ago...

CoPilot v11.0.0.1539

There's a new version of the sat nav app CoPIlot, version 11, that I've been trying for a couple of days. It has a completely revamped and more modern interface. However it's very buggy and inconsistent in use for route planning. I suggest you delay a while before upgrading...

wildcamping.co.uk

I'm avoiding using it for the time being.

 

[GeoffL]

I started a thread about this a week ago...

CoPilot v11.0.0.1539

There's a new version of the sat nav app CoPIlot, version 11, that I've been trying for a couple of days. It has a completely revamped and more modern interface. However it's very buggy and inconsistent in use for route planning. I suggest you delay a while before upgrading...

wildcamping.co.uk

I'm avoiding using it for the time being.

Thanks. V10 was excellent but I'm now using Waze at least for the time being.

 

[Canalsman]

Thanks. V10 was excellent but I'm now using Waze at least for the time being.

Try Magic Earth. It's free, you can enter vehicle dimensions and weights for inclusion in route planning, and the interface is excellent.

It's my go-to satnav app now.

There's a long thread about it here:

Magic Earth sat nav app (Android and iOS)

I recently saw this mentioned elsewhere as another sat nav app that allows vehicle dimensions to be entered and used to determine safe route planning. I've used this for a drive today and I'm quite impressed. It uses OpenStreetMap mapping, which can be downloaded for use offline, traffic...

wildcamping.co.uk

 

[GeoffL]

Try Magic Earth. It's free, you can enter vehicle dimensions and weights for inclusion in route planning, and the interface is excellent.

It's my go-to satnav app now.

There's a long thread about it here:

Magic Earth sat nav app (Android and iOS)

I recently saw this mentioned elsewhere as another sat nav app that allows vehicle dimensions to be entered and used to determine safe route planning. I've used this for a drive today and I'm quite impressed. It uses OpenStreetMap mapping, which can be downloaded for use offline, traffic...

wildcamping.co.uk

Thanks. I'm installing Magic Earth on my phone as I type. FWIW, I gave Waze a go last night and the mapping disappeared, replaced by a turn by turn direction list, almost as soon as I left my town. I guess that it needs a mobile internet signal to work properly; guess I'll need to find out how to download offline mapping (and whether that's even possible). Meanwhile, I'll download some mapping for M.E. and give that a try...

 

[Road Devil]

No warning of this update, when I came to use my satnav I couldn't because it was uploading maps. Eventually when it did come on what a change, the icon of a satellite on the top right of the map was very misleading. I thought this was because I'd lost the GPRS signal, not the different views that can be changed. Copilot have since replaced this with a speed icon. Secondly when planning a direct route it prompts you to add a stop and it was a few attempts to understand that you have to select this before moving on. I emailed copilot voicing my concerns. If it's not broke don't fix it!! This was not a simple update but a massive change to the system and I would consider an alternative before renewing my subscription next year.

 

[GeoffL]

This was not a simple update but a massive change to the system and I would consider an alternative before renewing my subscription next year.

I'm a 'life member' rather than a subscriber (i.e. I paid for CoPilot Caravan initially before they moved to a subscription model and they honoured by purchase when they changed it to CoPilot GPS). I was wondering if they'd 'nobbled' it to be rid of 'life members' like me, but apparently not as you're a subscriber and have suffered similarly.

Meanwhile, I'll download some mapping for M.E. and give that a try...

I've given Magic Earth a try and, while it's better than CoPilot is now, it has issues. I configured it to use a "Truck" profile with the weights and dimensions of my van and asked it to direct me to a destination I know well. That route has excellent "A" roads yet M.E. wanted me to take a 'short cut' via a road that's too narrow for my van. I used Waze for the return trip and, even though the map display again changed to a list of directions, it took me via the better route.

 

[Canalsman]

I'm a 'life member' rather than a subscriber (i.e. I paid for CoPilot Caravan initially before they moved to a subscription model and they honoured by purchase when they changed it to CoPilot GPS). I was wondering if they'd 'nobbled' it to be rid of 'life members' like me, but apparently not as you're a subscriber and have suffered similarly.


I've given Magic Earth a try and, while it's better than CoPilot is now, it has issues. I configured it to use a "Truck" profile with the weights and dimensions of my van and asked it to direct me to a destination I know well. That route has excellent "A" roads yet M.E. wanted me to take a 'short cut' via a road that's too narrow for my van. I used Waze for the return trip and, even though the map display again changed to a list of directions, it took me via the better route.

Narrow, weight or height restricted roads will only be omitted from route planning if there is a restriction placed on the road in question by the relevant highway authority.

CoPilot would route you down that same narrow road I imagine.

 

[GeoffL]

I've given Magic Earth a try and, while it's better than CoPilot is now, it has issues. I configured it to use a "Truck" profile with the weights and dimensions of my van and asked it to direct me to a destination I know well. That route has excellent "A" roads yet M.E. wanted me to take a 'short cut' via a road that's too narrow for my van. I used Waze for the return trip and, even though the map display again changed to a list of directions, it took me via the better route.

Narrow, weight or height restricted roads will only be omitted from route planning if there is a restriction placed on the road in question by the relevant highway authority.

CoPilot would route you down that same narrow road I imagine.

FWIW, the route in question is one from home to a town the other side of where I store the van, so I've a lot of experience of using CoPilot in that region. CoPilot has never attempted to route me down that road. In contrast, I tried the same using Magic Earth for the outward trip today and it tried to route me down three unsuitable back roads! OK, two of those roads I could have got the van down, but they were single-track, country lanes and there was a perfectly good A-road route that was only about half a mile longer and a darned sight quicker. I checked the settings and M.E. was configured by default to use the fastest route. M.E. uses OpenStreetMap mapping, which is entirely supplied by users, and the restriction wasn't indicated on the OpenStreetMap website. However, I've contributed to OSM for years as a Geocacher, so I've added the restriction which, hopefully, will stop M.E. routing other 8ft wide vans down a road with a 7ft width limit once M.E. update their maps!

 

[Canalsman]

FWIW, the route in question is one from home to a town the other side of where I store the van, so I've a lot of experience of using CoPilot in that region. CoPilot has never attempted to route me down that road. In contrast, I tried the same using Magic Earth for the outward trip today and it tried to route me down three unsuitable back roads! OK, two of those roads I could have got the van down, but they were single-track, country lanes and there was a perfectly good A-road route that was only about half a mile longer and a darned sight quicker. I checked the settings and M.E. was configured by default to use the fastest route. M.E. uses OpenStreetMap mapping, which is entirely supplied by users, and the restriction wasn't indicated on the OpenStreetMap website. However, I've contributed to OSM for years as a Geocacher, so I've added the restriction which, hopefully, will stop M.E. routing other 8ft wide vans down a road with a 7ft width limit once M.E. update their maps!

Try changing the routing parameters in Magic Earth and see what difference it makes.

Thanks for updating OSM. I'm now a regular contributor because I use Magic Earth and note any omissions as I travel. I keep a notebook on the passenger seat for that purpose.

(Had you not been able to update OSM I was going to do it on your behalf...)

 

[GeoffL]

Try changing the routing parameters in Magic Earth and see what difference it makes.

Thanks. M.E. doesn't seem to have the same flexibility as CoPilot regarding routing parameters. With CoPilot, I could set preferences for motorways, dual carriageways, primary roads, secondary roads and local streets; as well as whether to take the shortest or most practical route. CP also has the options to avoid CAZs and congestion charge zones as well as the option to use, avoid, or avoid if possible toll roads and to avoid ferries. All that M.E. seems to offer is a choice between shortest and fastest route with options to avoid tolls, ferries and unpaved roads. I've tried as many combinations as I could and M.E. still tries to route me down unsuitable roads. Waze seems better, and tolls in Waze explicitly include CAZs etc. However, neither is as good as CoPilot was and I'm praying they sort out the issues with the next update!

 

[Canalsman]

Thanks. M.E. doesn't seem to have the same flexibility as CoPilot regarding routing parameters. With CoPilot, I could set preferences for motorways, dual carriageways, primary roads, secondary roads and local streets; as well as whether to take the shortest or most practical route. CP also has the options to avoid CAZs and congestion charge zones as well as the option to use, avoid, or avoid if possible toll roads and to avoid ferries. All that M.E. seems to offer is a choice between shortest and fastest route with options to avoid tolls, ferries and unpaved roads. I've tried as many combinations as I could and M.E. still tries to route me down unsuitable roads. Waze seems better, and tolls in Waze explicitly include CAZs etc. However, neither is as good as CoPilot was and I'm praying they sort out the issues with the next update!

From experience over many years I have found that altering road preferences in CoPilot makes no difference.

The avoidance of clean air zones doesn't appear to work either, at least not around Edinburgh where it tried to send me through such a zone!

All the sat nav apps I've used try to send me down unsuitable roads from time to time. I avoid any suspect looking roads and drive on if in doubt. If I see the 'Unsuitable for HGVs' sign that's a definite red flag!

 

[GeoffL]

From experience over many years I have found that altering road preferences in CoPilot makes no difference.

Not my experience. Although less than 100% reliable, I have two profiles (car and van) set up in CoPilot and they are treated differently. For example, the quickest route Eastbound for me in the car involves a ferry: no problem in the car, but the van's overhang is likely to foul when embarking/disembarking and so I've set the van's profile to avoid ferrys. CoPilot honours the difference and routes the car via the ferry and applies the necessary 15 mile detour for the van to avoid it.

The avoidance of clean air zones doesn't appear to work either, at least not around Edinburgh where it tried to send me through such a zone!

I concur -- particularly where there is no obvious route to avoid a CAZ (such as Bradford and Bath). I typically establish additional waypoints to ensure the route avoids CAZs. Waze has a raft of "Toll and HOV Passes" that let you configure any toll tags you have and also any CAZs for which you are exempt. I haven't tested this yet and so have no idea how reliable it might be!

All the sat nav apps I've used try to send me down unsuitable roads from time to time. I avoid any suspect looking roads and drive on if in doubt. If I see the 'Unsuitable for HGVs' sign that's a definite red flag!

TBH, I'm much the same wrt. obvious issues. However, I live in Cornwall and have family in Scotland, both countries where the only access to a town or pub or campsite might be down a narrow road and so a narrow road within (say) ten miles of my destination is not necessarily a red flag and being routed down a narrow road to avoid road closures etc. is also a possibility with both M.E. and Waze.

Bottom line is that, right now, Waze seems to be the more reliable and more versatile given a choice of Waze and M.E. I guess that if I don't mind just going on routing directions rather than wanting to have a map to view, CoPilot remains in the running. It's just a shame that Trimble have broken it!

 

[Canalsman]

Not my experience. Although less than 100% reliable, I have two profiles (car and van) set up in CoPilot and they are treated differently. For example, the quickest route Eastbound for me in the car involves a ferry: no problem in the car, but the van's overhang is likely to foul when embarking/disembarking and so I've set the van's profile to avoid ferrys. CoPilot honours the difference and routes the car via the ferry and applies the necessary 15 mile detour for the van to avoid it.

I did say road preferences make no difference. It certainly doesn't. Avoiding tolls and ferries do work. The only caveat is that CoPilot has routed me onto a toll road once, presumably because the mapping data was incorrect.

 

[GeoffL]

I did say road preferences make no difference. It certainly doesn't. Avoiding tolls and ferries do work. The only caveat is that CoPilot has routed me onto a toll road once, presumably because the mapping data was incorrect.

FWIW, I have two profiles for the van. One for when I need to get where I'm going quickly and another for when I want a more scenic route. The difference is that I've set the 'scenic' profile to avoid motorways. Albeit at different times and possibly with an update between, the 'scenic' route stayed clear of motorways, routing me along the A30, A303, A37, West of Bath to rejoin the A38 at Frampton then via Gloucester while the 'motorway' took me on the M5 at Exeter then the M49 and M4 across the new Severn Bridge, leaving the M4 near Newport. That said, I've always checked the route and set additional waypoints to 'force' it if necessary.

 

[Chasn]

I have had Copilot for at least years. It was at its best in the early days and in my opinion has gone downhill since. To me the biggest irritation is that the supposed track up display is not track up but next waypoint up. This means that if part of your route tracks at right angles to the next waypoint the icon is no longer tracking up the screen with the map rotating accordingly. This can become very confusing particularly on large roundabouts with more than four exits. In this situation it becomes very difficult to identify the correct exit from the display. I have pointed out this incorrect description to them twice but they are obviously unwilling to revert to the original track up setup. Proper track up is used all the time with aviation GPS so why they stick with next waypoint up is beyond me.

 

[Geek]

After updating one of my android tablets I could no longer use iGo Nextgen, which is by far the best, though not the prettiest.

So I tried Copilot again - I have a lifetime licence, bought long ago. Not impressed.

I discovered that Sygic has got much much better than it was, though my lifetime Premium licence no longer gives live traffic.

The latest release of Sygic for cars has a motorhome setting, which takes note of vehicle weight and dimensions without paying extra for this feature.

Magic Earth lets you enter vehicle size, then ignores it as far as I can seen

 

[Canalsman]

Beware of the speed limit information in Sygic. I tried Sygic again recently and found many errors in this critical information.

Magic Earth will route based on vehicle dimensions, I believe, but its weakness is lack of height, weight and width restriction data in OpenStreetMap.

With time this should improve. Apparently there are more than ten million people worldwide who help keep the mapping data up-to-date. I am one of them and I keep note of errors every time I drive and apply updates. I travel extensively in the UK and Europe so my input is frequent.