Summer is the time of year when most car journeys are made. There are countless opportunities to get out on the road ranging from long driving vacations to visiting that summer festival to go and see all your favorite bands and artists. One way in which you can make sure you don’t arrive late and also make the best use of your time is by using a GPS or satellite navigation in your car. Most modern GPS devices come with a variety of features that are designed to help you get the most from your journey, but a lot of users don’t realize that they need to keep the maps as up to date as possible.
GPS Maps are Stored on the Device Memory
This is down to the fact that the maps on a GPS are not actually beamed down from the Global Positioning System – which is the satellite network operated by the US military. The actual digital maps on the GPS are stored physically onto the device as software and will need updating regularly. The reasons to update are provided below, and if you do decide to update your GPS maps it should ensure that you are able to enjoy your summer driving a lot more. Here’s why we advise new map updates.
New Roads and Addresses Can Change
Firstly, new roads are appearing on a daily basis on the North American and European road networks. As well as that, priorities can change and lanes can be altered. Because of this, your GPS is probably always going to be out of date and can never be completely current. The company that provides digital mapping solutions to most of the GPS brands is called Navteq and they release new maps updates four times a year. You can either download new Navteq maps or purchase them on an installation DVD.
It’s not just about road changes though. Businesses can change addresses frequently, and if your summer driving vacation involves stopping at various tourist attractions you want to make sure that you and your family don’t end up at the wrong destination or are late for something you are driving to. By having the latest GPS map updates on your device you can help to avoid that as new Navteq map updates always come with updates to business address. By driving more efficiently you can save both time and fuel costs which are essential in these austere times when everyone wants to save as much money as they possibly can.
Points of Interest Will Improve Your Driving Vacation
In addition to that, modern GPS devices also come with a POI database. These are points of interest that you can navigate to and include items such as accommodation, restaurants, ATMs, hospitals, tourist attractions, shopping malls, and a whole lot more. These are also updated when you download new GPS map updates. They are very easy to use. On your GPS simply access the POI section and then select the type of destination you want to find. It will return a list of options near to you based upon your current location, and then let you click and navigate straight there using turn by turn directions.
Avoid the Traffic Jams with Real-Time Traffic Alerts
You might be lucky enough to own an advanced GPS device. Some of the more modern units from Garmin and TomTom come with real-time traffic alerts. These flash up a warning signal on the display of the GPS if you are approaching heavy traffic and will suggest a new route that might be quicker so you can avoid the queues. This is a great function for people who just want to get on enjoying their summer with a minimum of fuss. Traffic alert software is another aspect that is included when you update the maps on your GPS in 2012.
Use a Navteq Promotion Code When Updating GPS Maps
If you have found this article interesting and want to update the maps on your GPS device this year, then make sure that you save as much money as you can. You can do that by using a Navteq Promo Code which typically offers between 10% and 15% off, or sometimes free shipping if you have to order an actual GPS Navigation DVD.