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For anyone that doesn't know, it's trivial to load OSM onto a Garmin GPS and use is for turn-by-turn navigation, for free.

I've used it in over 40 countries (including Africa, Europe, North America) and it is staggeringly complete and accurate. From the mega capital cities to the tiniest village, it has every single dirt track, school, hospital, gas station, roundabout, intersection, etc. etc.

I can count on one hand the number of times it hasn't been utterly perfect in 4 years of driving around 90,000 miles through 40 countries.

I have no idea how the maps can be so shockingly good in rural Ivory Coast or Burundi, but they are.



Website design is lacking, but I use http://garmin.openstreetmap.nl/ to download routeable data when traveling.


Some countries are mapped poorly in OSM. Examples are: Mongolia and Cambodia. Many roads and buildings are missing.


Interesting, like I said I've never seen a country that isn't shockingly good.

I travelled extensively in 35 African countries - including a bunch you wouldn't expect to get good data for like The DRC, Burundi, Sudan, Mali, Gambia, Djibouti, Ethiopia, etc. As well as Belgium, France, Spain, Canada, USA


I lived for one year in Cambodia. Major roads are mapped, so you can generally navigate, but lots of small streets and roads are missing. Also, even in the capital most of the buildings are not mapped. I've mapped a few buildings and streets but didn't have time to do a lot. Also, it's incredibly hard for a foreigner that doesn't know Khmer language.

Mongolia is poorly mapped on all maps, not just OSM. But OSM coverage was the poorest about one year ago. Don't know if it is improved since then.


It's pretty bad in my city in the U.S., or at least was a few years ago when I last tried to volunteer some editing time. Guess I should look again.


I just drove 35,000 miles around the US this summer through about 30 states, and OSM had absolutely every single road, intersection and detail I could ever hope for perfectly mapped. I used it solely for navigation in a ton of places I've never been before, and it was brilliant.

What do you see lacking in your city?


Things may have changed, but two notable omissions at the time: a restaurant that had been there for 30+ years, and the post office closest to me.


You can make it better!


I have tried. But it's very difficult if you're not local.


Is there a way to use that in build in car GPS? Like Toyota Prius 2015?


Is there a way to do it for a Auto head unit? I would love to try using OSM in my car.


Do you know if there's a way to do this with built in garmin navigation in cars?


If the Garmin in your dash has a memory card slot, or someway to update the maps, then likely yes.


Eh, I wouldn't be so sure there. Not sure if Garmin OEM stuff is any different, but many factory head units only load maps signed by the manufacturer.


Awesome will have to do some investigation.


Any recommended Garmin model? When I check the OSM site, the information seems some what sparse.




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