Millions of individuals and businesses take GPS for granted today, but because of its ubiquity, it is definitely worth gaining an appreciation for the systems that underpin this vital technology.
This article is part of our Fleet Management & Vehicle Telematics resource section.
To that end, here is a quick introduction to the mechanics behind GPS tracking and the ways it is applied in the digital era
Basics & uses
Although there are a multitude of complex technologies at play in the provision of GPS tracking, at a superficial level it is fairly easy to understand how these systems function.
Modern driver tracking solutions work by placing either a standalone tracker device or a smartphone with integrated GPS capabilities with the individual or vehicle that needs to be traced.
Trackers with mobile connectivity can transmit this location information to monitoring platforms more quickly. The benefits of 4G GPS trackers include faster updates, improved coverage, and more reliable access to real-time vehicle information.
The compatible device, known as the receiver, communicates directly with positioning satellites owned by the US that orbit at around 20,000 kilometers above the Earth’s surface in a carefully orchestrated configuration. The receiver can interact with signals from multiple satellites and use this information to make calculations based on the relative distance from each.
Accuracy of modern GPS receivers is to within a few centimeters, and in isolation, this technology means that the location of a device can be measured very accurately whether it is at rest or in motion.
Tracking software
The raw data from a GPS receiver is not just useful in isolation, but in a tracking, context can be harnessed by cutting edge software provided by Cellutrak.ca to provide a range of benefits, particularly for businesses.
Say a company operates a fleet of vehicles, each of which is used to deliver goods to customers and clients within a given area. Tracking devices can be used to keep tabs on the location of drivers on the fly, meaning that those awaiting deliveries can be shown the precise position of their package in real-time.
Businesses can gain additional operational value from IoT-based vehicle tracking solutions, which combine location information with vehicle condition, driver behavior, and fleet performance data.
The rise of smartphones with built-in GPS capabilities has changed the way that this type of tracking is handled since separate trackers are no longer needed and instead software apps installed on mobiles can perform a cavalcade of useful functions. This brings benefits not only to customers but also to businesses aiming to improve the efficiency of their operations.
Additional benefits
There are other reasons for businesses to make use of GPS tracking aside from their cost-saving potential and their customer-pleasing capabilities. Vehicle tracking is clearly advantageous from a security perspective, for example, since it means that even if theft occurs, retrieving the stolen delivery van will be much easier.
Route optimization is another essential benefit that GPS tracking provides. Rather than requiring relevant calculations to be made manually, advanced software can help dispatchers to stay on top of this tricky task automatically, even making adjustments according to live events, such as congestion, highway maintenance, road closures, and more.
These automated capabilities are also central to Fleet Management 2.0, where connected systems and real-time information improve routing, vehicle utilization, and operational decision-making.
GPS tracking systems are going to remain integral to businesses for the foreseeable future and it is likely that it will be software innovations rather than hardware improvements that deliver the most significant enhancements in this arena.
