Why do I sometimes find map errors in TomTom products?

 

In order to obtain the correct map data, TomTom and its map suppliers, rely on local government and other local organisations across the whole of Europe to supply us with the correct, relevant and most up to date information for millions of roads, streets and lanes.

There are only a few map suppliers in the world that have good map data, one of them being TeleAtlas. On average, 5% of all European roads are changed; our map supplier has hundreds of people driving through Europe and analyzing satellite images to register these changes. This process is time consuming and a logistical challenge. This is also the case for all map feedback our TomTom customers submit via our website. These map reports are passed on to our digital map suppliers, who will then in many cases, physically visit the location to register a different situation.

Digital map data is a rapidly growing market. Thousands of kilometres of roads are added every year next to the 5% of changes that are being made. Still the coverage of the map data, in almost all western European countries, is more than 99%. There are still exceptions possible, but the digital map data TomTom is using at present is the best data available on the market. Next to having the best map data it is also the latest map data available.

Our map data has a version number and a date, the date represents the time when the analyzing of the roads freezes and the map supplier starts updating the map data. When the updating has finished TomTom will start the compressing process, in order to fit the map data on a reasonable size memory card. This takes time and therefore the date is always older than the release date of the map data.

Due to the unique compression method of TomTom and the quality of the software, TomTom is now able to deliver all regions in combination with the Major Roads of Europe. This means that you have street level data of the region you purchased plus, seamlessly attached, all the roads to navigate you to every town in Europe.