The challenges of GPS in telematics

摘要

People expect nothing less than precise locations from more and more modern positioning applications. Whereas just 15 years ago the first navigation systems were a special feature of premium-class vehicles, nowadays everyone is familiar with practical portable navigation devices. A luxury item has become a commodity. What's more, the GPS has made inroads into many recreational applications, including devices for everything from mountain bikes to digital cameras and mobile phones. Certainly the most common commercial application is telematics, and the market is growing fast. Ten years ago truck dispatching was the main application, and SMS was the preferred means of communication. Today more data can be sent far faster and at much lower cost via GPRS, and the number of applications has clearly increased.