There is recent post that started with Sirius "free trial duration" and lead to other things. I started this thread to share inputs on the quality of Sirius traffic feature.

I've had my Q5 ~7 weeks, so I'm still on the free trial. I'm underwhelmed.

I've driven into, or past , major traffic incidents several times without ANY notification from Sirius. I've occaisionally driven through area where Sirius bulletin exists, but the problem is GONE. My belief is that there is lag in Sirius information that is often TOO LATE to be helpful, or obsolete by the time it IS posted. Local AM/FM stations have much better coverage.

TO OTHER Q5 OWNERS: Is my experience similar in other geografical areas?

If Sirius really monitors this board, here's some free input from Seattle/Puget Sound area:
I can appreciate that competing with local traffic radio on a national basis is a challenge. I'm sure all of us can afford $5-15/month (including music), but where's the value? Unless I see some significant improvement, I'd rather send that money to a local food bank. As for music, I listen to my iPod 99% of the time. I don't expect to sign-up when my trial ends.

There is recent post that started with Sirius "free trial duration" and lead to other things. I started this thread to share inputs on the quality of Sirius traffic feature.

I've had my Q5 ~7 weeks, so I'm still on the free trial. I'm underwhelmed.

I've driven into, or past , major traffic incidents several times without ANY notification from Sirius. I've occaisionally driven through area where Sirius bulletin exists, but the problem is GONE. My belief is that there is lag in Sirius information that is often TOO LATE to be helpful, or obsolete by the time it IS posted. Local AM/FM stations have much better coverage.

TO OTHER Q5 OWNERS: Is my experience similar in other geografical areas?

If Sirius really monitors this board, here's some free input from Seattle/Puget Sound area:
I can appreciate that competing with local traffic radio on a national basis is a challenge. I'm sure all of us can afford $5-15/month (including music), but where's the value? Unless I see some significant improvement, I'd rather send that money to a local food bank. As for music, I listen to my iPod 99% of the time. I don't expect to sign-up when my trial ends.

Never really did much for me either. It was difficult to even find the accident when I went to the info button. This is one feature that was far superior in my BMW.

I really don't pay much attention to the incidents report, so I can't really measure that, but as for the traffic report, especially on the map, is quite accurate. The coloring from green to red or yellow to red right after an exit ramp has proven to be key for me in many occasions (considering that I only get to drive the Q on the weekends)

I've found it is essentially pointless unless you are using the nav system to drive every time you are in the car. The information is accurate if you are in a route guidance, but I'd feel happier if it displayed that same information more reliably without having to start a route.

That was my experience with MSN Direct Traffic in Toronto. The flow information is automated and tends to be relatively accurate but the incident reporting is manually gathered and can be far from reality.

I am quite undecided about he merits of the traffic ino.

Sorry for the above post. I am undecided reagrging the merits of the traffic system. Sometimes it is spot on, other times misses the delays I find mysself stuck in. Sometimes the nearest alert is 5-7 miles away. Just not sure what o make of it.

Bob

In the Phoenix, AZ area I'm noticing it to be VERY accurate. In fact, every time I've passed an accident, other than those that JUST occurred in front of me, it was on the screen. In fact, about 3 weeks ago I was driving eastbound on the 101 fwy and I noticed an alert on the screen. I was not using the Nav for a route, just driving along with the GPS up on the screen. Anyway, I clicked on the Info button and the first alert on the list gave the exact location where I was and said "Caution: Object in Roadway!" In about a quarter mile, right where the alert icon was, I looked to the right and there was a computer desk along the shoulder. When I got to work, 3-4 miles later, I told a co-worker about this and he said he had driven the same route 5 minutes earlier and the desk was literally in the middle of the highway. I was impressed.

On another occasion, I was driving to a shopping mall on the other side of the valley and as soon as I punched in the route, the voice said, "Your route is being recalculated due to current traffic conditions." It then gave me a new route, getting me off the freeway prior to a backup then putting me back on the freeway after the backup. Again, impressive.

What I'm not impressed with is the lack of current POI's, as I've posted here before. There are stores, including pharmacies and grocery stores, that are 15 years old within a mile of my house that are not in the database. When I was at the dealer this past week for a new steering wheel (whole other story, the dealer's window tint guy cut it somehow so they replaced it) I mentioned this to them and they just told me there is no update and I should call Navteq. Haven't called yet but will.

phxflyboy

I'd say it's a mixed bag driving in Boston, though I did receive a 'recalculating route' notice just this morning, and it was worth it as it steered me around a heavy backup I could see from the overpass on my new route. But as reported by others, accidents are often unreported in enough time to be effective, and construction schedules are often dated and useless for traffic purposes. Though the red map lines usually are helpful. I've checked the nav against Google Maps, which has a traffic feature, and it tends to be fairly accurate.

I'd say it's a mixed bag driving in Boston, though I did receive a 'recalculating route' notice just this morning, and it was worth it as it steered me around a heavy backup I could see from the overpass on my new route. But as reported by others, accidents are often unreported in enough time to be effective, and construction schedules are often dated and useless for traffic purposes. Though the red map lines usually are helpful. I've checked the nav against Google Maps, which has a traffic feature, and it tends to be fairly accurate.

I've got news for you -- Google's traffic info comes from the same source: SmartRoute systems (http://www.smartroute.com/). SmartRoute gathers traffic data from sensors in the road and essentially resells it for a profit, although there is always a 'free' version provided to the gov't. For items other than speed, SmartRoute relies on drivers to phone in issues (accidents, object in road, etc).