Navigating Through the Evolution of GPS
Global Positioning System (GPS) was originally designed to help soldiers and military vehicles such as planes, and ships accurately determine their locations worldwide. The book, Ubiquitous Computing Fundamentals goes in-depth on how a GPS system works. There are a plethora of uses for the GPS system, but I will be focusing on the GPS In-Car Navigation System.
Profile
“Turn left in 0.3 miles” As you read that sentence you can probably recall Siri telling you where to turn. Apple Maps has undoubtedly saved you many detours and wrong turns. If you go all the way back before the invention of any GPS system, people would write down directions to get to their destination and even have to rely on physical maps. To make traveling efficient, GPS In-car Navigation was introduced. The In-Car Navigation was first introduced by Honda’s Electro Gyrocator in 1981. It was developed for automotive navigational use. A GPS-based navigation system was officially introduced to all vehicles in 2001. GPS-based navigation uses radio signals from special satellites that send their position and the time of transmission.
Honda’s Electro Gryocator
Early on the system was not the most reliable because it did not give step-by-step directions, but it made it easier for a driver to get from one destination to another without printing directions. The display allowed the user to adjust factors like brightness, position, and contrast. Users were also able to mark points on the map with the pen that was included in the kit.
In terms of success, it was not the most successful at that time because it did not use GPS. Instead, it used a gas gyroscope allowed the map to move with your car and track its progress. After the map came to the end of the road, the user would have to switch it out with a new map. This made it inconvenient to use. Compared to physical maps, this was progress, but there was more that could be done to make it useful to the public. The routing algorithms were imprecise, but eventually came the invention of portable navigation systems.
TomTom
After about 20 years, the automobile navigation system became available to the public through a major company like TomTom. TomTom introduced the world’s first street-level maps application for Personal Digital Assistants (PDA). Navigation systems, especially the one from TomTom, were very successful because they downloaded maps through the internet and gave users the best route for their drive. These systems solved the issue of having the drivers carry around physical maps. Before this technology, drivers had to stop on the side of the road to figure out their next turn. The In-car navigation system saved drivers time. This system was reliable because it used GPS.
Critique
Compared to the past navigation systems, the technologies today are much more reliable, efficient, and useful. Now we have Carplay, Bluetooth connection, and advanced in-car navigation. Not only do these GPS technologies allow the driver to see directions, but they are able to add stops, find the quickest route and get an accurate estimation of time to their destination. Apps like Google Maps and Apple Maps have features like voice assist, turn-by-turn directions, favorite locations, highway/parking/toll information, and traffic monitoring.
Although older navigation systems did not have these types of features, they did not have the technology to support them. There has been immense progress in the GPS In-car navigation system. The older versions of navigation systems have influenced today’s technology. The first systems were portable, then as time went on, they started to become implemented in all cars. It started off with a basic system that gave estimates of time of arrival, step-by-step directions, and a digital map. Today, the features have been enhanced and now aid in more than directions.
A lot has changed from the past system to the current system. All cars now have a built-in GPS navigation system. As it continued to develop over the years it became integrated into cars through Bluetooth and Smartphones. Some cars even allow apps to connect through Carplay which displays the directions to the car screen. Drivers can favorite and store destinations in the In-car navigation systems so they do not have to repeatedly input the address each time. A crucial feature that helps drivers is voice assist. It tells the driver when and where to turn so they do not have to keep looking back at the navigation.
Additionally, navigation systems today are able to reroute easily anytime the driver misses a turn. It quickly finds another route to get the driver to their location without wasting time. The driver does not need to pull over and add the address again. The system will use satellites to find a new route.
Benefits
The website, Modern Car Navigation Systems and Their Features | Automotive Industry | Infopulse, states the successes and benefits of the In-Car navigation system.
- Bigger screen dimensions and fewer glares.
- Stable GPS connection.
- Up-to-date offline and online 3D maps.
- Always active and ready to direct.
- Less distracting.
- Real-time traffic monitoring.
The GPS navigation system in cars does not always need to be connected to the internet to be accurate, which is another major reason for its success.
From the past to the present, the use of GPS navigation has evolved along with technology. It is reliable and used daily by millions of drivers. With all the helpful features, the In-car navigation system makes driving safer. The older versions of the navigation system led to all the useful and efficient technology we have today. Ever since its invention, users have been relying on it to get to their destination.
