Map application that can balance time vs "nice itinerary"?

Question

Not sure where to post this but since an application (local or web based) could be an answer I post it here.

Use case: When I am not in a hurry when I am going somewhere by car (that is, most of the time) I avoid the highways and drive on smaller roads where you pass by, and can stop and visit castles, churches, views, local markets and similar.

My problem is that Google Maps and similar don't really have a way to give directions that suit this type of driving. I can deselect motorways but quite frequently that means that the suggested route it 50% longer and takes twice the time, just because somewhere along the road there is a motorway bridge over a river and avoiding that bridge means a 2h detour.

I want instructions that makes a sensible compromise between time and non-motorway. That is, if I save one hour by driving ten minutes on the motorway I want to do that. However if it takes 45 minutes to drive between A and B on non-motorway and 40 minutes on motorway I want to avoid the motorway.

Ideally, I would like a map application that suggest two sets of directions, "100% focus on saving time" and "100% non-motorway", respectively. Then there should a "lever" that I can drag between these two extremes that, if I start at the non-motorway side, "cherry picks" the motorway parts of the trip that saves most time. In other words, if I go to 98% it should suggest a route that takes motorway for 10 minutes so I take the bridge over the river mentioned above and save 2 hours. Next step might be 10 minutes on the motorway around a city rather than driving through it that saves 50 minutes. And so on.

Does something that offers this exist? Or can I somehow do it manually (one problem with Google Maps is that if I plan a route from A to B and then to C I can't set it to allow motorways between A and B but avoid them between B and C) without "too much effort"?

Answer 1

Maybe this ? Viamichelin belongs to Michelin of the Green and Red books, and I see they have a "discovery" option for "The route option for scenic roads that may have a touristic interest."

Answer 2

Feasibility

My Solution

Unfortunately, what you are talking about is almost an between feature of what google is trying to do. They literally map everything and want you to explore via their streetview or google earth (also has streetview in it) to get you to explore before you go. ( See end of post for google Voyager that does this as well)

1. Pre-plan route
   • Use Google Earth or Google Maps with Point of Interests on to see what is available in the area.
2. Follow these steps. I am not going to rip the content because they show you step by step
   • Involves google mymaps
3. Use solution two and then switch back to original route given by maps to get you back fast

Send a Custom Route on Google Maps to Your Phone for Your Road Trip

Other Solutions

Not Direct routes but still useful

In Google Maps, 
 - Hit the top left dropdown button 
 - you will see an explore button

Google Explore Button

Open Street Map Possibility

This is the Planning tool in Open Street Map

Google Earth Google Earth Voyager

They focus on making a quasi tour guide first person view of a certain area before you go there.

You are going to need to contact a dev to build that and offer that suggestion to google maps/waze, like you did.

Similar Question in terms of wanting to edit Route

How to edit Google's route to change to a side street instead of front entrance

Ideally, I would like a map application that suggest two sets of directions, "100% focus on saving time" and "100% non-motorway", respectively. Then there should a "lever" that I can drag between these two extremes that, if I start at the non-motorway side, "cherry picks" the motorway parts of the trip that saves most time. In other words, if I go to 98% it should suggest a route that takes motorway for 10 minutes so I take the bridge over the river mentioned above and save 2 hours. Next step might be 10 minutes on the motorway around a city rather than driving through it that saves 50 minutes. And so on.

Answer 3

I have found a "good enough" answer, CoPilot. It allows me to change the speed on different type of roads. When setting the motorway speed to 50-70 km/h the routes it suggests are mostly not motorway but still uses motorways at "crucial" parts.

Are there other navigation softwares that allows the user to change such settings?