[pjmlp]

What about actually improving directions, not sending us through barely usable roads in Mediterranean islands, if we can consider them roads at all.

Or shortcuts that might be interesting in a computer game, how the RTS units select their path, but hardly so when driving through a medieval village, instead of the somehow longer circular road that everyone should use.

[jailbirdBD]

We have been in Italy in the mountains near Lake Garda, and the hosts where we were staying specifically instructed us not to use Google Maps as it will lead us to sketchy shortcuts which is barely managable to pass trough, while the "official" route to their village is paved, easy to follow, and thus, much faster to pass than Google's route.

I left on Google Maps out of curiosity and indeed, it started to show directions which lead to poor dirty roads where my car would barely fit trough.

One would think that Google has some data about much less cars passing through that road than the paved one and drive some conclusion out of it, as I hardly think anyone would use those roads apart from a few locals who are living there. Especially in an area which is filled with tourists.

Also, Google Maps also often suggests much less efficients routes in my local area where I definitely know that there's a route which not shorter, but still much faster.

[pjmlp]

Yes, that has been exactly my experience, not fun getting out of some trails.

[cm277]

+1 (or 100 if I could). Besides all their satellite imagery, Google also knows the average speed on any road while you're navigating, so it can tell if a road is unpaved (or worse, for farm equipment rather than cars). However if it's faster (or equivalent but shorter) it will always recommend an unpaved road over a paved one.

It's crazy, really. I once got routed into a tractor path that was literally a dry creek bed for >2 kms (covered with large, pointy rocks and all). But yeah, it was quicker by 5' than the paved road so it was the top route. Longest 20' of my driving life.

I would seriously pay extra for an option of "ignore unpaved roads" or even better "don't suggest slower roads if the route is shorter than X%"

[pjmlp]

Disabling green routes helps a bit, but only a bit.

[cl3misch]

In this context (driving in central Europe) I've found Apple Maps to choose the conventional route more often. The trip may be slightly longer but more enjoyable, for the exact reasons you mentioned. Google Maps indeed seems to be weighted towards stressful shortcuts.

[tasuki]

More enjoyable? Conventional routes are rarely what I'd call enjoyable. Convenient, perhaps.

A month ago I was driving hundreds of kilometers across Poland, and Google sent me from a freeway through a comfy road to a literal dirt road with holes, which after ten kilometers led us back to a large asphalt road. That was fun!