Automotive GPS Systems
Originally conceived and developed by the United States Department of Defense for use in military applications, GPS tracking technology has in recent years been opened up to commercial development and use by the general public. As a result of this, GPS tracking has seen a huge rise in popularity as more and more ways to utilize the technology has emerged in the marketplace. GPS capability can now be found in newer cars or as an aftermarket accessory for older cars as a replacement for having to deal with paper maps, as a handheld personal device for campers, hunters and other outdoor users, in some newer cell phones as a tracking device, and there are even GPS treasurehunting groups who hide objects and then post clues on the internet, for users to try and find using GPS systems. GPS systems are also finding great use by companies for tracking movement of vehicles and personnel as a way of monitoring business costs. And they are also being used by individuals as a way of monitoring personal vehicles of all kinds against theft and to monitor younger drivers whereabouts and driving habits.
A GPS system is basically an electronic transmitter/receiver that is in communication with a series of 24 satellites which orbit above the earth, and through communication with the satellites can pinpoint where on earth that receiver is. In the case of automobile navigation units, the user programs in a destination to the receiver and the satellites determine where the receiver actually is and then the receiver, using map data programmed into it can map the most direct route to get to the destination entered into it and display that information on a view screen. The information is constantly updated through communication between the receiver and the orbiting satellite system. Probably the most productive uses of GPS receivers would be as tracking and monitoring devices to monitor movement of vehicles for theft protection of vehicles and for commercial fleet management as well as keeping track of where young drivers go and what their driving habits are.
As with most electronic items, mass production is bringing the price down to the point where it is affordable to most everyone who is interested in GPS tracking. Basic units can be found for as little as a couple of hundred dollars, while more complex systems can run as much as a thousand dollars depending on what features and capabilities an individual has need of. Some GPS tracking systems may require an additional monthly monitoring fee similar to monthly cell phone charges.
By: Paul Dyer
Posts Tagged ‘Newer Cars’
The GPS And It’s Future
December 16th, 2009
The use of Global Position System (GPS) has become quite diverse from automobiles, mobile phones, tourist facilities, city maps, and even pet collars. GPS works through a network (often called constellation) of 27 satellites that move around the Earth in geo synchronous orbit. These satellites exchange relative data to fix the position of one particular object on the surface. Similar to the Internet, the technology was original implemented for military use in order to help precise control of troops as well as getting accurate information about enemy troops and armament placement and movement. And like the Internet it was soon the commercial use that would dominate global reliance on GPS.
Mobiles phones are now more secure because they are outfitted with GPS tracking devices. It is now possible to use mobile communication and GPS technology to create a new type of mobile phone. The implications of this combination are so vast that those experts who saw only trouble in the future of wireless communication have begun to entertain some hope. There are developments in progress right now that would have seemed strictly science fiction material a few years ago. Some opinions even go so far as to say that the conventional means of human communication might just disappear if the plans under development succeed to their maximum.
Road-traffic management would itself be improved to quite an extent. For example, some of the newer cars are equipped with GPS technology so sophisticated that it acts like an airplane Black Box. The device can record data (for a short duration) like speed of vehicle, whether brakes were applied or not, if the seatbelt was used or not, so on, and of course, the precise location of the vehicle right down to a few feet accuracy. Another interested aspect is that apart from devices like phones and cars, GPS technology is available in sizes small enough to fit into pet collars. The collars can further be programmed to define a territory range and should the pet go outside this specified area, an instant alert is sent to the owner’s cell phone.
Other uses of GPS include making accurate maps, tracking of endangered species, and predicting some types of natural disasters. Farmers too may use the GPS system to get a fix on farmland that is less fertile and to spot wet and dry areas. This allows for better land use and precise farming techniques.
GPS technology is a bit invasive because it permits the precise tracking of human beings at all times. This raises issue regarding privacy of the individual. This is one of the biggest hurdles faced by a wider use of GPS. It is essential that people realize the inherent dangers of any technology while at the same time using it prudently. A good example is that car rental companies could use GPS records and accuse the renter of having violated traffic laws. While such a feature is ideal for the police it is completely unacceptable from a service provider. Controls are required to prevent such violations.
We have already faced the severe problems with identity protection and theft over the Internet and it would be wise to learn from those problems and make sure the GPS implementation comes with inbuilt safeguards and checks to ensure that the rights and privacy of the individual are not sacrificed to technology.
By: Joseph Brochin