GPS – How It Got On Your Dashboard

Humans have always sought to use tools to help them survive. Through out millennia, Mankind has used tools to adapt and overcome the sometimes harsh environment he has found himself in. As time has dragged on, Man has fashioned ever more complex and high tech tools. These tools have enabled him to build the hunt for game, build the Pyramids and cross oceans. Today, that same thirst for invention has given us GPS, or Global Positioning system

Millions of people around the world have adopted the use of GPS to the point that it is fast becoming a house hold accessory. GPS allows them to help plan their trips, keep tabs on their children and keep track of their vehicles. It helps though to understand the technology that makes this all possible.

Satellites that are orbiting the Earth are the key to making GPS work. They communicate with the GPS devices on the surface of the Earth. The signals from the satellites are relayed to the units on land. The signal is decoded and interpreted by the unit and data is graphically displayed on the screen. This data can show up as longitude and latitude or could be as simple as displaying what exit off the highway the driver should take next.

During the 1970′s and 1980′s the satellites for GPS were deployed for the United States military to use in navigation for their units on land and at sea. It wasn’t until the ’90s that GPS was allowed to be used for commercial use. Since that time, GPS has rapidly wormed its way into the marketplace and into our lives. It is so widespread and commonly used that a good unit can be found inexpensively.

Since the price is inexpensive, this means that GPS is affordable for pretty much every socio-economic class of people. Given the availability and low cost, GPS units are pretty much found in every vehicle on the road. This is to be expected because these units help you keep from getting lost and save you peace of mind.

You can purchase a GPS unit in one of two ways. You can buy a unit for your dashboard and remove it each time you leave the vehicle alone. Or you can get the GPS unit installed into your dashboard as an option when you purchase the vehicle.

In a few short decades, GPS has gone from military hardware, to a tool used by only the well off, to a ubiquitous item in many households all around the world.