One of the great advantages of Android Auto is the number of compatible applications (especially when compared to Apple CarPlay) and if we talk about navigation devices that support Google’s infotainment system, there are several of the most interesting applications such as TomTom AmiGo, Maps.Me and of course the legendary Google Maps or Waze. Another good candidate is Mapfactor Navigator. I downloaded it to my Android phone to test it on Android Auto: This has been my experience.

What is Mapfactor Navigator and how does it work?

Mapfactor Navigator is a GPS navigator available for both Android on the Google Play Store and iOS on the App Store. Free? It depends: When you install and open it, there are two map options: buy or use TomTom maps free version using maps Open OpenStreetMap. This is the version I tried.

I must admit that I really like TomTom for navigation, but the free version is also of good quality. However, we are faced with a very open and collaborative project. with reliable, wide coverage and regular updates.

Important: To use this app It is important to download maps in advanceIt is convenient to install the application at home via Wi-Fi and open it to download the areas we need.

The good? You don’t waste data, and if you have poor coverage or are outside your roaming area, nothing will happen. The downside is that you have to plan all this ahead of time, which takes time. To test it out, I downloaded around 1.29GB of maps from ‘Europe’ > ‘Spain’ and the regions of Aragon, Catalonia and Navarra + Asturias, Basque Country, Cantabria, Castile and León, Galicia and La Rioja.

Traveling with Mapfactor Navigator in Android Auto

Although the mobile app has many options, The experience has been stripped down to a bare minimum in Android Auto. In fact, looking at the configuration made from the vehicle screen, the only thing it allows access to is the download of maps. There is nothing better than good: you avoid the distraction of changing options, but I prefer to change some things directly from here without resorting to the mobile phone.

Of course the good thing is that it is compatible with Coolwalk so seen together as a mosaic with other messaging or entertainment apps (in my case I used it with Spotify and then used the ones I got from WhatsApp and Telegram).

When you open the app, a search box will appear where you can: enter your destinationWhether it’s a postcode, a municipality or an address, you type it out loud with the keyboard or when you touch the microphone and not much else happens: it finds it just fine and shows you the way.

Of course, it does not show different routes, but only suggests one, but if you do not follow it, it changes according to the most suitable one. As for the interface, it is quite classic, so learning to use it is very easy: two speech bubbles appear, showing the directions, the estimated time of arrival, the time required and how many kilometers you will travel. You can also zoom in and change the view mode by going from the directions to the general route. Finally, by tapping the ‘x’ sign, you cancel the previously entered destination.

Briefly, The interface is classic and suitable for everyoneWith minimal distractions and no ads, this is something to be appreciated for a cleaner, simplified experience.

I was very pleasantly surprised The quality of the maps as well as the detail they provide and how well different types of roads are defined and the route can be seen on these lines. In municipalities, street names seem to provide better guidance and it becomes clear what kind of road it is for intercity trips.

Mapfactor Navigator doesn’t forget radarsAlthough it is limited to fixed ones, it shows them with a camera icon and a sound notification so as not to miss them. It is effective, but after trying other browsers, we miss more types such as native or mobile browsers.

But of course, since it is an offline app, We are losing real-time information about events. on roads such as traffic jams, construction zones or police checks.

In short I think it is a good practice to get from point A to point B without too many complications, simplicity and clarity are its greatest virtues, but Lacks options, routes and warningsIn short, I would only recommend this to people looking for simple and basic navigation.

Map Factor Explorer

Free navigator with TomTom or OpenStreetMap maps

Download for free

Cover | Eva Rodriguez de Luis

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