New TomTom uses drivers' street cred to dodge jams

New TomTom uses drivers' street cred to dodge jams

www.pcpro.co.uk

The TomTom GO 730 and GO 930 feature IQ routes technology which decides on the best journey route using the average speed other users have achieved in the past, rather than simply looking at posted speed limits and road types and "guessing", as was previously the case.

TomTom says the information has been collected anonymously from millions of TomTom users and covers 6.2 billion miles of roads.

(visit the link for the full news article)

I am completely ignorant about these devices, but how the hell do they gather data anonymously?? These things do not have the power to transmit data back to the satellites do they?? If not, how are they gathering this data?

www.pcpro.co.uk
(visit the link for the full news article)

Anyone?? I have a TomTom. Can they track my whereabouts because I have one?? I don't see how it is possible, but like I said, I am clueless about these things.

my guess would be when u connect ur tomtom to the computer and register it to update with new roads and speed cameras. not sure if this is entirely correct but seems the most likely.

Originally posted by macgyver
Anyone?? I have a TomTom. Can they track my whereabouts because I have one?? I don't see how it is possible, but like I said, I am clueless about these things.

Of course they can track your whereabouts!!!!!! It is transmitting a signal telling the computers EXACTLY where you are. How do you think they give you directions? By just guessing where you are?

Think of it as an RDIF chip, except in your car.

reply to post by hikix


im too tired to check around the internet but i thought the tomtoms recieved signals from satalite to pin point where it is but doesnt actually have the ability to transmit back.

reply to post by Invisus


It sends a signal to the satalite, which send it back to the device tell you where to go..

Its only logical that it could track average speeds.. in the device I use it adjust arrival time based on how fast I go.. obviously its a basic computing system.

I like the way TomTom is thinking though, I may have to buy one of those.

Sounds pretty cool to me. All of the TomTom's that I've seen though don't offer anything like that. I also may look into one of them.

TheBorg

Originally posted by Invisus
my guess would be when u connect ur tomtom to the computer and register it to update with new roads and speed cameras. not sure if this is entirely correct but seems the most likely.

After digging around, I think this has to be the way they got the data. The devices do not communicate with the satellite, they only receive data passively.

Link to below source

Each GPS satellite transmits signals to equipment on the ground. GPS receivers passively receive satellite signals; they do not transmit.