Sat Nav News

I can certainly relate to the GPark idea as I once lost a rental car in Paris (I eventually found it at 2am in the pouring rain). Had GPark existed back in 1999 I would have simply parked the car, hit the Park Me! button on my iPhone which takes a GPS reading. I would then have gone walking around Paris like I did, completely forgetting where my car was. However, with GPark it wouldn’t be a problem because I would simply whip out my iPhone and hit the “Where Did I Park?” button which will then load up Google Maps and quickly direct me back to my car. Cool!

There is a downside to this application though. Although it does exactly what it says on the tin… ie, bookmark where your car is. How many people actually loose their cars on a regular basis? I know I don’t (ok, maybe once in a huge unfamiliar city).

Via: etre

Researchers are working on a new sat nav device that will use a mixture of artificial intelligence (AI) and connectivity between different navigation devices. The system is named “Congestion Avoidance Dynamic Routing Engine” which luckily has a shorter name of CADRE. Each vehicle using the system will be fitted with a special GPS unit which will share details among other users with the system. Should a traffic jam occur then the other devices on that same route will be notified and a new route with the AI, planned accordingly. If successful, the system will be able to notify motorists about 5 to 10 miles before the situation so steps can be recommended to avoid it. [click to continue…]

Do you believe that SatNav devices can make the roads safer to drive on? Having an extra distraction in the car might make you think not, but according to a study done by TomTom they believe the opposite to be the case. After reading the results I can actually see where they are coming from on this one. [click to continue…]

Europe have launched their second satellite named Giove-B which will demonstrate Europe’s Galileo sat nav system. The satellite was launched from Kazakhstan on a Soyuz rocket. The satellite was launched to allow for tests to be done on the key technology that will power the Galileo sat nav system which will eventually consists of 30 satellites in 2013. Equipment to be tested will be the atomic clocks which provide timing to with in 1 billionth of a second per 24 hours as well as other equipment.

The new Galileo system will allow for more a accurate fix on position (with in 1 meter anywhere around the globe) and also should achieve quicker first fix times.

Via: Pocket-Lint

According to a new study, 34% of all personal navigation devices will connect with each other by 2013. This “on-board connectivity” will allow enhanced navigation services to end users (you and I) such as dynamic POI’s giving the latest fuel prices, real time traffic which will let users know you are stuck and that they should take another route, satellite imagery and parking space availability to name a few.

I am excited for these services as I have often wondered how a network of sat nav devices collecting information on “current” road conditions could benefit all others. The system is likely to work with a number of technologies such as Bluetooth, Wi-fi and mobile phone data networks although in 5 years time there will be other newer technologies available that the system could utilise.

Not only will this help with traffic flow and help speed up life for people, the whole system has benefits in the social networking arena too which will allow friends to know where each other is, although this has it’s downsides also.

Of course, services will begin ramping up soon. We already have map share, HD traffic and other features which are only going to improve over the next few years.

Source

A handful of new GPS satellites have recently been launched in to space. These new satellites are different in that they have anti-jamming capabilities. The satellites achieve this by using an upgraded antenna panel which boosts signals above normal signal ranges which information is then transmitted to base stations on the ground. As well as the anti-jamming signal abilities, the satellites also have new encryption and encoding services.

A mixture of these elements provides greater accuracy for these satellites which are also open to public use by way of a second civil channel along side the new military signals. The new system is aimed to pave the way to more accurate and more reliable GPS services to all around the globe.

Source - UPI