GPS Navigation Systems and Data Problems

We have a serious problem brewing with GPSlooking for an address or street in a new housing
navigation systems for automobiles and eventract, which you can see but the devise insists, does
motorcycles. There are however problems with thisnot exist? Then there are problems in areas like Cape
devise as a high tech toy are more serious than youCoral, FL and Tehachapi, CA or El Paso, TX and
might think. Ask anyone in a metro area who hasKnoxville, TN where the roads have been scraped
bought a new car with one of those cool GPSand ready to put in or put in but do not connect or
upgrades for their SUV or new sports car. We havehave nothing there yet. Of course it is very
had our customers complain (customers of theaggravating to see a road and try to go down it and
carwash business, which is my profession). Oh theyfind it is a dirt road that connects to nothing yet or
love the gadget, but they are under whelmed by thean entire sub-division that does not exist? Is it a
lack of data and streets, which are not listed. YouMirage? If so where is the white Tiger Show?Jack
see we have been seeing incredible suburban growthDangermond of ESRI had set up entire networks of
in many cities. Places near large DMA metros are asoftware makers who developed data for their
problem out in the middle class suburbs. In manyawesome software products for GPS and GIS needs.
areas such as outside Chicago, Los Angeles, SanUsed by government, military, utility companies,
Diego, Phoenix, Las Vegas, Seattle, Portland, Denver,transportation companies, private companies with
Dallas, Houston, Austin, San Antonio, Nashville, KansasGPS units to sell to the public, First Responders and
City, Minneapolis, Columbus, Cleveland, Baltimore,school districts for buses. After the Dot Com crash
Jacksonville, Tampa Bay, Miami, Orlando, Atlanta, DCthose software companies were among some of the
Subs, etc. And in NJ, NC, NV, OH lots of other fastsurvivors, but had significantly cut costs. Thus
growing growth pockets.When GPS devises for carswithout the proper data the GPS systems bought by
first hit the scenes at the CES and SEMA shows inthe upper, upper-middle and middle class for their
1996, they became increasingly more popular,cars were not always good enough to support the
powerful and better data. But like VHS and Beta,price point for the newest technology. This is
Apple and IBM, competition became increasinglyespecially upsetting since the upper, upper-middle and
greater causing much consolidation in the industrymiddle class citizens who pay the most taxes live in
along with patent fights. Much of the technology wasthe suburbs for the most part. The chances of a
former Defense Contractors peddling their waresmiddle class American; who bought a home during the
through subsidiary consumer level companies. But the3 years last housing boom; not being able to find
tight market remained due to the costs. Meanwhiletheir house or street on their new GPS devise is a
companies like DeLorme and others tried to flood thehigher probability then them actually finding it. We
market with low priced GPS units, which made thingsinterviewed one man who bought a new Nissan
even more competitive. And the bugs were not fullySports car.Who lives in a newer developed area in
out of the system yet. Someday all cars will drivethe higher end Las Vegas, Clark County Suburbs,
themselves and people can watch TV, do videowhich only had the main streets on his GPS and had
conferencing and use their transportation as ahuge blank spots on his device? Some GPS devices
portable office or entertainment system while theyallow the user to choose a satellite vendor and data
are being driven to the location they have punchedvendor and software, but many of the Factory units
into their computer. Some things will have to occurdo not. People think they are getting something really
before this is a reality of course. But eventually yourgood and then find they cannot use it to navigate,
dexterity skills to actually pilot a car will be worthlesswhich would really piss you off considering you may
and un-needed.First the satellites will need to be laserhave paid as much as $6,000 for the unit. Even more
aligned and use multiple satellites to get absolutedangerous is the information we learned from an
locations of ground items and vehicles. The cars willEMT ambulance driver in Dallas area who told us of
need to have additional anti collision devises made uplooking for streets for 15-20 minutes after battling
of networked sonar and optic flow sensors. All ofthrough suburban gridlock to get to where they
which are now available and the technology is gettingthought it might be. 3G cell phone technology may
better and better. Many military applications today willassist for those using cell phones to call in data to
be civilian tomorrow. Just like Radar, Microwavethe dispatches. For all the training we are doing
ovens, Nuclear Energy, Cellular Phones, Satelliteacross this nation for first responders and on-going
Communication and Jet Aircraft in Commercialeducation of police, fire, Hazmat, etc. it appears that
Aviation. The flow of transportation will be broughtwe have forgotten the problems of the system. Any
to the next generation to serve man better.For thetime you build a system to serve humankind you
time being the incremental changes in thesemust make it simple and make it work, that should
technologies has hit a slight road block even thoughbe the first, the very first priority, then you can fix
Honda, GM, Ford, Mercedes, Daimler Chrysler andall the other issues.With that said we interviewed a
Toyota have invested billions in anti-collision andlady recently one evening who had a hell of a long
safety devices which they will add comfort andday working for the Metro Police Departments
desirable options which they can sell to customers asCentral Nervous System. The communications center
upgrades. Smart Car Technologies can addand dispatch is to what we are referring. Although
Thousands of Dollars to the price of a car andshe was unaware of the problem at the center for
consumers are glad to pay for them. A factory GPSbad data or missing data in the system, she could not
system with display can cost up to $6,000.00 andsay how they were able to get the information.
they sell a lot of them on the higher end cars. It is aLuckily serving a metro area they are probably
high profit item upgrade, although there are some,connected to the planning departments computer,
which only cost $1000. And if you wish to comparewhich they should be. And if the police department
these, some are very incredible with many features;has the new data and no problem in this case, why
.There are many companies, which sell after markethave the software vendors not been able to access
computer assist items. These companies are doingthe data? It is a safety issue if someone with a GPS
quite well and the systems work great. The big issuesystem pulls out a map and tries to read it while
is just because you have a super duper incredibledriving in an area they are not familiar with. It is
GPS system, does not mean the street you areguaranteed that in the history of the automobile in
looking for is even on the map yet. In other words itthis country more people have been in serious traffic
is like using an old map. If you are a studier of mapsaccidents from trying to read maps, than talking on
like I happen to be, you will see the problem withcell phones, although cell phones no doubt a
older maps. Even some companies keep printing oldcontributing factor in many lesser accidents will
map data year after year without adding in new oneventually pass this figure. Where the streets are,
ramps, city streets, infrastructure freewaywell frankly I cannot understand the need to keep
improvements and ring-roads, it is aggravating forthis a secret unless it is the layout of Area 51, Prison,
those from out of town. Even more aggravatingPower plant, Pentagon grounds, Military Bases, etc.