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