GPS or Global Positioning System is an incredible technology that can be used by everyday people nowadays. GPS technology can determine your position on the globe with accuracy.
How does GPS work?
GPS works in a very simple way. The satellites can track a GPS receiver (the device which we use to track something). Then it sends the positional information. Then our car stereo can use the information and place the location on a map.
Difference between GPS Navigation and Tracking
The GPS navigation or tracking both have different uses and purpose, but both of them use a GPS system.
Navigation: The navigation is used in transport, it can be a car, ship or even an aeroplane. The navigation is used for locating a destination and reaching that point.
Tracking: The tracking can be used on anything that is needed to be tracked, including transport, humans, animals, products or device etc.
Let’s get to know about the differences between them.
The flow of Information:
In the Navigation System, the GPS locates the position of the transport and sends the information to the driver by decoding it in a map. It also locates the destination point where the transport is willing to go. It is because of the GPS navigation that a driver gets turn by turn directions.
In the Tracking System, just like the navigation system, the GPS locates the position of the transport or anything with a GPS receiver. But unlike the navigation system, the information of the location goes to someone who wants to monitor the entity with the GPS receiver.
Purpose:
The purpose of using GPS navigation is to reach a destination point or identifying one’s own position in the map.
The purpose of tracking is to identify something or someone else’s position on a map.
Use:
The GPS navigation will navigate you to your desired point. No matter where you live on the globe, GPS navigation will work. If you want to reach a destination but you don’t know how to get there then GPS navigation can take you to your destination.
The GPS tracker will simply track your current location or movements. If you are a business owner and want to monitor deliveries for example, then you can track their position and their movement speed using a GPS tracker.
FAQs
GPS navigation systems are very different from GPS tracking. GPS navigation system is used to locate addresses and at the same time provide directions to a destination. GPS tracking provides more data about a specific object.
What is the difference between GPS tracking and navigation? ›
Navigation uses GPS technology to locate a destination and travel to that point. Tracking uses the same system but transmits the location of someone or something's position.
What is navigation tracking? ›
GPS tracking is the surveillance of location through use of the Global Positioning System (GPS ) to track the location of an entity or object remotely. The technology can pinpoint longitude, latitude, ground speed, and course direction of the target.
Can a car with GPS navigation be tracked? ›
If your car has a GPS tracking system installed, you can use it to track the location of your vehicle in real-time. This can be useful if you're trying to find your car in a crowded parking lot, or if you want to make sure it's not being stolen.
What is the difference between GPS and satellite navigation systems? ›
GPS is a fully-functional satellite-based navigation system. Satellite navigation is a system based on a wide network of artificial satellites. GPS satellites transmit continuous microwave radio signals composed of two carriers, two codes and a navigation message.
What is the difference between radio tracking and GPS tracking? ›
A radio-tracker allows you to track down the exact location of your cat while a GPS tracker will just give you a general area. Radio-trackers are much smaller than GPS trackers and can easily be attached to a break-away cat collar.
What is the function of GPS tracking? ›
GPS tracking requires a device to be installed in a vehicle, on an asset, or to be worn by a person. The device then provides information about its exact location and subsequent movements, enabling tracking in real-time.
What are the three 3 main types of navigation? ›
Three main types of navigation are celestial, GPS, and map and compass. In order to better understand why we teach map and compass at High Trails, it is helpful to learn the basics of all three techniques.
What is vehicle tracking and GPS? ›
With its simplest definition, a vehicle tracking system is the system that allows tracking and controlling of vehicles via an online computer, smart phone, tablet, etc. on a 24/7 basis thanks to GPS satellites.
What are the 4 types of navigation? ›
Navigation is a field of study that focuses on the process of monitoring and controlling the movement of a craft or vehicle from one place to another. The field of navigation includes four general categories: land navigation, marine navigation, aeronautic navigation, and space navigation.
Built-in GPS Tracking Systems in Cars
However, not all cars have GPS tracking built in, and the availability of this feature varies depending on the make and model of the vehicle. Some popular car models with built-in GPS tracking include: High-end luxury cars, such as BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Audi.
Can your car be tracked without GPS? ›
As opposed to using a driver's cell phone or a vehicle's installed GPS tracking system, it is possible to track a vehicle via SIM tracking. SIM tracking tracks a driver's location by recording their coordinates via their cellular network.
What is the difference between navigation and tracking? ›
Navigation: The navigation is used in transport, it can be a car, ship or even an aeroplane. The navigation is used for locating a destination and reaching that point. Tracking: The tracking can be used on anything that is needed to be tracked, including transport, humans, animals, products or device etc.
Can GPS work without internet? ›
GPS does not require any form of internet connectivity. GPS depends on signals from satellites. Anyone can harness these signals using a GPS receiver. You can test this fact by turning off the internet connection on your phone and using Google Maps.
Is GPS the same as NAV? ›
The Nav system can be user programmed, to provide a route and directions, from one place to another. The nav system cannot operate, without an input from the GPS, to know where it is, or where it is going.
What is the difference between A-GPS track and route? ›
Routes are pre-defined and created manually using the website or the app. Tracks are breadcrumb trails, made up of GPS points collected by your device while physically following a trail.
Is GPS the same as Nav? ›
The Nav system can be user programmed, to provide a route and directions, from one place to another. The nav system cannot operate, without an input from the GPS, to know where it is, or where it is going.
How accurate is GPS tracking? ›
The GPS unit is normally accurate to within two meters Circular Error Probability (CEP), and the accuracy is further increased through algorithms built into GPS Insight. Analysis of the GPS information provided by GPS Insight yields an accuracy rate of approximately 99.88%.
Is GPS tracking good? ›
Present-day GPS tracking units are highly accurate and can provide precise location information.
