We haven't used sat radio, but I am enjoying it, so I think that we'll get it. I noticed on the Nav system, that it is clearly indicating what the traffic flows are (green lines parallel to the roadways). Is this Nav traffic doing this? Seems likely, but I just wanted to check. I've used our local traffic system on the computer to get this info before. Thanks. Bob.
Yup, nav traffic. It shows major roadways that are nav traffic capable with green, yellow or red flow lines. The colors indicate speed through that area, but I forget at the moment what the speeds are for what color...
I can't wait to get the nav traffic feature, as I drive 40 miles each way to work. It is a strongly desired feature and will seemingly save me lots of time, and more importantly road rage frustration due to accidents and traffic. I have used this on the Acura RL and it is amazing. I would highly reccommend it to anyone who is a commuter.
You should check to see that NavTraffic covers all the highways over on the entire 40 mile route route. Sometimes there are big gaps in the traffic coverage for roads once you get out of the city.
Where flow isn't offered, notifications of events and closures may still be available on highways and surface streets in many metro areas. In some cases, the traffic is 24/7, others only during weekdays. http://www.xmradio.com/navtraffic/
Green = at or near the posted speed limit Yellow = "Slow Traffic" (10-20mph) Red = "Stop & Go Traffic" (<10mph)
Does this mean that there is an XM subscription charge every month if you are just interested in getting traffic and don't care about the satellite radio?
I believe you will only be charged if you choose to continue the service through the XM website. But yeah, there is a charge to keep the Nav Traffic service running.
There is a monthly fee after the initial free trail for the traffic sub. It comes out to less than $5 per month, if you are subscriber. (I bought lifetime radio sub, but still will be billed ~$50 per year for Navi. If you are not a SatRadio subscriber, then I think they charge $9.95 per month, but check their website, as it spells it out there better.
Not every road is covered. It really depends on where you live. Here in the Seattle area, all of our major roads have speed measuring sensors. You can view realtime traffic speed (green means near or at speed limit, yellow means 35mph or so, and red means pretty much stopped). Here the XM traffic subscription (you get 3 months free when you buy the car, then you have to pay) shows all of the major road traffic. The navi traffic feature is useful here (though sometime -- well most of the time -- there really isn't an alternate route so I guess seeing trouble ahead is a good way to signal that it's time to start chanting to reduce blood pressure).
As I said, under $5 per month ($3.99 per month here, if you have a subscription). Also, if you are a lifetime member, then you only pay the $3.99 per month, or $47.88 / year.
Had to drive through Phoenix today and found the traffic to be beneficial in some ways, and rather frustrating in others. Useful for accidents off to the side (position was pretty dead on). Not so useful when calling out traffic 17 miles head on my route. Each time the traffic congestion changed, it called out the new traffic density/length. I must have heard 8-10 call-outs before I actually got to the traffic. Also noted that the slow points had changed by the time I had arrived compared to what was depicted on the NAV screen (by up to 1/4 mile). Near real time, but not quite real time. Worth noting - the cars icon to the left turns yellow if 1 "event" is on your route, orange if two events are on the route. Didn't see if it went red w/ 3+.
By comparison, my portable Garmin GPS system comes with free, lifetime traffic. Any of their models with a "T" a the end, comes with this. And the whole Garmin unit only cost about $200.
This is likely RDS based and works only in metro areas where stations broadcast this signal. That being said, it's probably similar data to XM.
I've lived in this area so long with the same commute that I could do the traffic reports for the local radio stations. I commented to someone a while back that I can look at the Google Maps traffic on my iPhone and tell you what time of day it is to within 30 minutes. Still, I like having the XM NAVTraffic to tell me why I'm sitting in bumper-to-bumper traffic without switching to XM 214 or FM radio to get a traffic report.
I don't need it for commuting, but I might be willing to pay $4 to $5 a month just for the odd time when I need it. At $10, I'll pass and just rely on my iphone. There must be some sort of limit to how many monthly fees people can or should take on.
I wonder if it will work in West Virginia? On the first of the month, when the social security checks come out, traffic is a mess. I usually have to sit through two lights (well actually sitting through the only light in town for two cycles). It really tickes me off when it takes three minutes to drive through town instead of two. Unfortunately XM can't really help as there is no bypass in a one street town. Oh, and it isn't bumper to bumper around here because the flat bed trucks which make up 50% of the vehicle population don't have bumpers.
XM Satellite Radio - America's #1 Satellite Radio Service The link is to the XM Nav Traffic coverage areas. I hope that helps.
I get a chuckle out of the XM NAVTtraffic announcements during my commute lately. Sure it's nice to get pre-warned, like 2 miles ahead on the route slow traffic for 6 miles. But then when you get to that point, and there's bumper-to-bumper traffic as far as the eye can see, you get the "slow traffic" announcement. I named the NAV system Alice, but now I'm thinking it should be named Sherlock, to follow after the No Sh!t I usually respond with when I hear the "slow traffic" announcement.
