Guiding you to your destination

Global Positioning System or GPS is a sophisticated technology for letting you know your location. Till a few years back GPS technology was only available to the defense forces but today it’s available to anyone. Manjari Juneja finds out more

Global Positioning System (GPS) provides reliable positioning, navigation, and timing services to users across the globe at any point of time. Quite simply, it tells vehicle drivers and pilots about their position anywhere in the world and guides them to their destinations, safely and accurately. India has been using GPS technology since the early 1990s. Today GPS is becoming a mainstream technology. You can use it in India to travel from point A to point B both of which can be hundreds of kilometers apart or separated by just a couple of kilometers.

GPS satellites are basically used for navigation, surveying, mapping, routing, charting and time distribution purposes. This technology has begun penetrating the local needs of consumers as awareness levels rise. When you get up in the morning, GPS and its applications such as maps will help you plan your day, decide which route to take to your office and the ones to avoid. The technology can help a sales rep determine the optimum route to cover several locations during the day when doing sales calls.

When you want to ensure that your driver is driving safely and is not misusing his car, is only visiting areas that he should, the solution now exists.

How it works

GPS works through a system of satellites orbiting the earth. A GPS receiver tries to tune into signals being transmitted by at least four satellites, and uses the strength of the signal to triangulate and calculate your exact location. A GPS navigator loaded with digital maps can then show your position on a digital map. You can also key-in your destination and the software of the navigator will automatically calculate the route to your destination and guide you as well, complete with turn-by-turn voice directions.

GPS technology is a sophisticated form of satellite technology that uses a complex network of processors and servers to receive and transmit data to and from the earth. A minimum of three satellites are required to calculate position i.e. latitude and longitude. For 3D positions that include altitude a minimum of four satellites are required.

Benefits

GPS navigators make travel safe and secure and prevent you from getting lost anywhere in the world. They save time and you always know where you are.

Rohan Verma, Director, MapmyIndia, said, “GPS technology can be used anywhere in the world. For example MapmyIndia navigators offer seamless travel in 620 Indian cities and 576,000 towns and villages. With a GPS navigator you don’t need to stop anywhere to ask for directions.”

GPS has become a mainstay for a multitude of activities around the globe like transportation systems for tracking, providing navigation for aviation, ground, and maritime operations. Disaster relief and emergency services depend upon GPS for location and timing capabilities in their life-saving missions. So it can be said that GPS has become an essential part of day-to-day living.

GPS navigators to the fore

The market for GPS navigators is nascent in India but awareness is spreading. People are starting to realize and appreciate the importance of assisted navigation. Moreover, with the growth in travel and of car sales, people want to buy GPS navigators that help them travel securely. “The sale of MapmyIndia navigators has been increasing exponentially. We expect to ship 100,000 units in 2010,” added Verma.

More than ever before, people are comfortable using portable navigation devices. From GPS mobile applications to standalone devices for cars, the GPS industry in India is on a growth-path.

According to research, “Social awareness is found to be the key factor for the growth of the GPS market in India. The research suggests that India has a potential to become a leading destination for the multinational GPS companies in Asia”.

Amit Prasad, Founder and Managing Director & CEO, SatNav Technologies, said, “We are looking to strengthen the awareness levels amongst the general public by educating them about our products and services. The markets are looking up in the last one year and will grow exponentially in the coming years. At present, our product portfolio ranges from navigation software, maps and data loggers to high-end Personal Navigation Devices. We are also looking at the mobile application market as this sector is looking promising given that India is one of the fastest growing markets for mobile users. “

Opportunities galore for GPS enabled services

GPS works as a great tool for adventure enthusiasts like bikers, trekkers and backpackers. Also there is an opportunity in the mobile GPS market. As India is one of the fastest growing markets for mobile phone users, it also creates healthy competition and triggers a demand for new mobile applications and technologies. GPS service on mobile phones is a fast growing trend and is becoming popular amongst mobile phone users. [This is underscored by Nokia’s recent decision to make navigation free on its smartphone line up a move which could spark a surge in usage of this technology. As of now, however, GPS tends to be a battery hog on phones. That will change with the next generation of GPS chips for smartphones. - Editor] Verma added, “The opportunities are immense. From GPS navigators for bikes to ‘Navitainment’ (navigator+entertainment) devices, there is something for everyone. Within a couple of days of the preview of TrailBlazer, our GPS navigator for bikes, we are already booking orders. Also, ZX150, the navitainment device allows people to watch movies, listen to their favorite music and read books on the 5” screen of the navigator. The opportunities are immense.”

Factors thwarting adoption

The cost of a device has been an issue for this category. Another challenge is the lack of awareness with regard to this technology amongst the general public. Even though people the world over have become technology-savvy, there are many instances where people confuse GPS with GPRS even though the two are very different. Poor penetration due to lack of awareness, discouraging rules and regulations, and misplaced security concerns have all added to the miseries of the GPS industry’s ability to shape up until now.

Prasad informed, “We do see this as a threat but also feel optimistic about the future as we see a positive trend in the adoption rate for GPS technologies amongst the general audience. Lack of good quality digital map data is another big challenge for the industry; this is slowly being overcome by a range of companies like ours which are now building products in this space.”

Lots of scope

Over the course of the next few years we can expect to see GPS navigators, software and digital maps becoming an integral part of every Indian’s life, just like the cell phone or the PC.

There is a lot of scope for GPS-enabled technologies in the mainstream consumer markets and this technology can be used in many more ways than it is already being used, especially in the consumer market.

Poor penetration due to lack of awareness, discouraging rules and regulations, non-availability of good quality data and misplaced security concerns have interfered with the GPS industry’s ability to shape up until now. Consumer demand for applications related to GPS is now driving growth in India; the phone vertical is the most aggressive, followed by car companies.

With proper awareness more people can learn and know about the benefits of GPS technology in their daily lives which would further help fuel their interest in the technologies that exist in the market.

manjari.juneja@expressindia.com