Abstract: There is provided a method of collecting probe information generated during travel of a vehicle, comprising: (a) receiving probe information including travel time information of a reference area, from a vehicle traveling a reference area that includes at least one of an intersection area that is an area from an approach to an intersection to an exit from the intersection and a road area that connects with the intersection area and is an area from the exit of the intersection to an approach of another intersection adjacent to the intersection in an exit direction; and (b) storing the received probe information.

Abstract: Disclosed is a navigation apparatus for a vehicle, which detects a present location of a mobile body, searches for a route to a destination based on map data and roads ranked in accordance with a degree of details of roads, and outputs information of the searched route. An optimal route from a present location to a destination is searched for using the map data every predetermined time or every predetermined distance. A storage medium incorporates a program that has the capabilities of the navigation apparatus.