what the road map used to be for locating and determining destinations is now often replaced by the navigation system in the motor vehicle, and sometimes you really do wonder how people managed to do that without a "navi" in the past? the possible answer: in the past, people probably just spent more time studying maps.
But how do navigation systems actually work??
What is meant by GPS?
And what is modern fleet management all about??
These are the questions that kfztech.Follow up.
navigation with the smartphone has become the norm in all locations.
How does the navigation work?
Navigation systems basically consist and function of three systems working together:
Positioning via GPS
route planning and destination guidance software
The global positioning system originates from the american military and consists of a total of 32 satellites that orbit the earth on fixed courses in 20.180 km orbit. The european civil navigation system galileo is set to replace the american system in the future.
Basically, the location works through the watch comparison satellites. each of these satellites constantly transmits its exact position and time, which is provided by an atomic clock. the navigation receiver in the car (without atmuhr) receives the data from the satellites that are currently accessible. Depending on the instantaneous distance of the satellites, the signals require certain runtimes. with the data of three satellites a geometrical determination of the own position is possible. with four accessible satellites, it is even possible to determine the altitude and thus a relatively precise location.
The current position of the navi-computer, i.e. the vehicle, can be calculated from the transmitted satellite positions and the differences of the received times. The location is determined 50 times a second, and with the help of the Doppler effect (left), the speed and direction of travel can also be determined.
In addition to the GPS positioning, the navigation system has a digital road map, which enables the system to recognize exactly which road the vehicle is currently on, and which makes route planning and guidance possible in a meaningful way. By means of map matching, the system compares any differences in location with the location information on the digital road map. This is necessary because the accuracy of the GPS approx. 4 m, and a clear view of the satellites between canyons of houses and in bad weather is not always possible.
The display of a vehicle navigation system in the audi A6. It could hardly be more beautiful and accurate. – image: audi
Readers can find out more about determining the position and navigation on the navigation pages and in the video at the end of the article.
Navigation not only for car drivers
In addition to the typical car driver, more and more hikers and cyclists are now also using navigation systems. And drivers can no longer do without a navigation system. Some parcels ordered on the internet would arrive late or the pizza would be cold, if the delivery address was not searched and found by navigation. Thanks to google maps and other navi apps, it has long since become common practice to use the route guidance by smartphone perform.
For truck drivers, a well-functioning navigation system is indispensable. The load is ultimately to be picked up and delivered on time. For truck drivers, other navigation information is also indispensable. After all, you don’t want to end up with your 40-ton truck in a narrow lane where you can’t turn around or use a road where the bridges are too low.
Vehicle tracking for fleets
For fleet operators today, perfectly coordinated logistics management is essential and decisive. Modern digitalization technology has long since found its way into the hands of many freight forwarders. The so-called fleet management can control the flow of goods logistically much better than it used to be possible in the past. Shipments can be located worldwide with millimeter precision. traffic jams, for example, can be better avoided in this way. The truck can be moved from the forwarder’s command desk as if on a chessboard.
GPS positioning is the core of such a fleet management system. A communication platform establishes the link between the fleet and the central office. For this purpose, every vehicle has a tracking device installed in it, which on the one hand is a GPS receiver for the necessary vehicle location and on the other a GSM transmitter owns to send the position data to the central office. At the major telematics provider webfleet, the u.A.Also working with tomtom and mercedes-benz, these tracking devices are incidentally called LINK. With the help of the LINK tracking device, not only can the position data be transmitted: by networking the vehicles with the company, it is also possible to gain insights into the driving behavior and vehicle diagnostics. These are important aspects that speak in favor of fleet management.
Vehicle location and communication has become indispensable for today’s fleet operators.- picture webfleet
Note *: GSM stands for global system for mobile communications and means global system for mobile communications.
video how does the gps work exactly?
Related link: illegal car GPS tracking – how to find the tracking device