[pkamb]

I'd love some kind of GPS mode that just gave the most important or trickiest directions, then was completely silent for the rest of the trip.

I know how to get out of my neighborhood and onto the northbound freeway. I'll never need directions to do this. I know I'll be driving for 30 minutes. I just need the exit to take when it's coming up, and a few tricky turns near the destination. Just give me that and I'll figure out the rest.

[jzwinck]

A related thing I'd like is a navigation system which understands that some turns are not important. If I'm driving on a Manhattan-style grid, I'd like it to say "You could turn here if you want, but straight is good too." I'd probably go straight if it's green and I'm doing 45, but if I'm at the head of the queue and it's red, I'd rather turn right.

[mikepurvis]

100% agree with you and parent comment, though Google does make some effort to offer alternatives (with "about the same"/"x minutes slower" annotations), and regardless of that, you can always skip a turn or turn sooner and let it adjust.

[navs]

Or maybe a navigation system that has a bit of personality. I feel like they've remained robotic while companies try to inject a personality into their personal assistant counterparts.

[kalleboo]

It used to be a thing to download celebrity voices to your TomTom. John Cleese was popular.

There's a Japanese navigation app that has a bunch of anime voice actresses doing different stereotypical characters. You take a wrong turn and they scold you, or ask if you're feeling OK http://maplus-sp.jp/voice_list.html?ct=cvi1

[vivekseth]

Try turning off the sound in your map app. That way you can ignore the steps you already know and look at your phone whenever you need directions.

[oe]

Google Maps used to have a mode where they only announce important turns, or if you miss one. But I can't find it in the app anymore.