RE: Mercedes introduces what3words to sat-navs
Thursday 14th September 2017
Mercedes-Benz has announced plans to add the what3words geocoding system to its next generation of sat-navs when they launch next year.
Does this make sense to you?What3words is a global addressing system which divides the entire planet into a grid of 57 trillion 3mx3m squares. Users can instantly locate the precise destination they need by entering a randomly assigned combination of three words instead of a longer, but less accurate, address or postal code. The words are then converted into coordinates, from which a route is calculated as it would be with a regular GPS.
Coming to your Merc sat-nav next year...This isn't the first time what3words has worked with the automotive industry though. Land Rover's ARDHI off-roading app uses the system to plot courses across some of the world's toughest and most isolated terrain, but this new partnership with Mercedes is undoubtedly a big step into the mainstream. Despite the chance nature of the words used, some locations - such as tedious.chariots.coast within the boundary of Silverstone - are, by happy coincidence, rather aptly named. Which begs the question, what three words do you think would best serve as your address of the future?
Mercedes introduces what3words to sat-navs
Why 'nobody.ozone.critic' will take you to PH's front door
Does this make sense to you?
In this way, delivery drivers need no longer waste time looking for the door to a block of flats - Mercedes makes vans and lorries too, remember - and drivers could even be guided to a specific set of parking spaces upon arrival.
The benefits of such a system are as plentiful as they are obvious. As the world grows, urbanises and develops, traditional city planning and mapping techniques can easily become insufficient. With over 600 streets named Juarez in Mexico City alone, it's easy to see how what3words provides a simple solution to a complex problem. Currently available in 14 languages, the company is working to allow even more people to take advantage of it and with the official postal services of countries including Nigeria, Tonga and Mongolia now utilising the technology, it surely won't be long before it makes its way here as well.
Coming to your Merc sat-nav next year...
Watch the video here.
Discussion
Sadly I can't see the Royal Mail giving up its stangle-hold on UK addressing easily, the fact they still charge for services that are the fundamentals of business is still just bizarre.
That said, I'd love to see something like this knock them into the dust and force them to innovate again.
Having as sat nav would be handy - where can we find out what our what3words are for our address?
That said, I'd love to see something like this knock them into the dust and force them to innovate again.
Having as sat nav would be handy - where can we find out what our what3words are for our address?
Just found it - https://map.what3words.com/elaborate.formal.wipes
The resolution is pretty remarkable, 3 x 3 metres is plenty accurate for pretty much everything other guided missle strikes (i'd imagine)!
The resolution is pretty remarkable, 3 x 3 metres is plenty accurate for pretty much everything other guided missle strikes (i'd imagine)!
SloaneSquare said:
RemarkLima said:
Sadly I can't see the Royal Mail giving up its stangle-hold on UK addressing easily, the fact they still charge for services that are the fundamentals of business is still just bizarre.
That said, I'd love to see something like this knock them into the dust and force them to innovate again.
Having as sat nav would be handy - where can we find out what our what3words are for our address?
I think that you will find Mercedes are thinking more globally than just the UK with this offering, for countries that do not operate a zip or postcode metrics. That said, I'd love to see something like this knock them into the dust and force them to innovate again.
Having as sat nav would be handy - where can we find out what our what3words are for our address?
PistonHeads said:
Currently available in 14 languages, the company is working to allow even more people to take advantage of it and with the official postal services of countries including Nigeria, Tonga and mongolia now utilising the technology, it surely won't be long before it makes its way here as well.
So, my comments were related to the articles assertion that it wouldn't be long before it's here... I disagree 
tim milne said:
RemarkLima said:
Sadly I can't see the Royal Mail giving up its stangle-hold on UK addressing easily, the fact they still charge for services that are the fundamentals of business is still just bizarre.
That said, I'd love to see something like this knock them into the dust and force them to innovate again.
Having as sat nav would be handy - where can we find out what our what3words are for our address?
Annoying as Royal Mail are, the postcode system has one clear advantage over W3W or any other computer-based system — it's possible to understand it in its broader sense, even if the finer details are best left to postmen. Two addresses in BN19 might be a few miles (and not hundreds) from each other. That said, I'd love to see something like this knock them into the dust and force them to innovate again.
Having as sat nav would be handy - where can we find out what our what3words are for our address?
The problem with these digital mapping systems is that they make us entirely dependent on them and the devices that deliver them and even though Sat Navs and the likes of Waze mean we don't think about where we're going anymore, I think to hand over awareness of even the basic relationships between places to the computers is a human error.
1. It has no consistent pattern for the first half of the post code and no way to checksum, validate or mask for a valid post code that satisfies all cases
2. The data is proprietary and isn't cheap - most civilised nations offer full postcode data and mapping services free as it's of great benefit to many businesses and generates a lot of economic movement. The Royal Mail has stifled a lot of innovation in that space in this country with draconian licensing terms.
But that's another discussion
horsemeatscandal said:
There's a certain irony in that I put my postcode in to find out my three words.
Don't see how it would be easier for sat nav users. 50 AB12 3CD is easier than 50 cement.horse.captain, surely? Some of the W3W codes also cover more than one property.
Probably missing the point.
The codes are 3m x 3m - how could they cover more than one property? Unless you're talking about apartments? There's at least 12 squares I could choose from on my driveway alone - and it's not a vast driveway by any stretch!Don't see how it would be easier for sat nav users. 50 AB12 3CD is easier than 50 cement.horse.captain, surely? Some of the W3W codes also cover more than one property.
Probably missing the point.
A Post code will get you to a street, a house number and postcode may get you to the right house, may get you to the right area or side. This will get you to the driveway, or the door, the behind the bins even.
Deliver moody.flaps.hiccup - if I'm not in leave in safe spot jesus.hairdo.horse
CoolHands said:
It's better for humans as you can tell somebody three words without confusion.
try to relay (51.501364, -0.14189) and a mistake will be made.
That's exactly what I was thinking - saying words to a sat nav, typing them or relaying them any other way is a hell of a lot easier the lat long!try to relay (51.501364, -0.14189) and a mistake will be made.
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