Abstract: A system and method are disclosed for displaying map information on a computing device. Data are stored for rendering a simulation of travel along one or more road segments prior to embarking on travel along the road segments. The simulation is comprised of a sequence of views of the road network along each road segment from vantage points above or along the road network. Each road segment may be part of a calculated route and the simulation may include views for all the road segments contained in the calculated route. While the computing device is being conveyed along each road segment, the data stored for the simulation is used to show a view of the road network that includes the current position of the computing device on a display of the computing device.

Abstract: A method for operating a navigation system obtains an ordered plurality of interconnected segments providing a route from an origin to a destination. A guidance message for each of the segments is formed. The step of forming the guidance message comprises determining whether to reference a previous segment and adding a reference to a current segment.