TABLE OF CONTENTS [*]
Land vehicle navigation and tracking systems represent one of the largest potential applications for Global Positioning System (GPS) receivers in terms of the sheer numbers that will be required over the next 20 years. Both vehicle navigation and tracking are important subsets of intelligent vehicle highway systems (IVHS), [ ] a major worldwide movement to improve the efficiency, safety, and environmental aspects of road traffic through the application of information, communications, positioning, and control technologies.
The ability to determine vehicle location is the most fundamental requirement of both vehicle navigation and tracking systems. However, although navigation and tracking applications share certain common requirements and characteristics, they also are also distinctly different in many ways. Accordingly, this chapter starts with a brief characterization of tracking, navigation, and IVHS to establish a frame of reference for discussing these GPS applications.
Vehicle-tracking systems are often called by other names such as automatic vehicle location-monitoring systems or position-reporting systems. The term "commercial vehicle" as used here refers to public service vehicles such as those of ambulance, fire, police, and transit departments as well as to all classes of vehicles used in business and government service. With few exceptions (e.g., those that subscribe to commercial security or stolen vehicle tracking services), vehicles in ordinary consumer use are not considered to be part of the vehicle tracking market.
One of the most distinct differences...
