The objective of this paper is twofold:
- 1
To generate awareness in the automotive industry of the United States Government (USG) Global Positioning System (GPS) Modernization programs in order to stimulate thought and innovation for future GPS automotive applications that enhance the safety, efficiency and pleasure of driving an automobile.
- 2
To solicit active participation by the automotive industry in helping to determine the GPS position, velocity and timing requirements for the next 30 years.
There is a unique opportunity to influence the designs of the next generation of GPS, called GPS III, to meet the needs of the predominant GPS user, the civil GPS community. The automotive industry represents a significant part of the civil GPS community and it is very important that your future GPS requirements, as well as those of the driving public, are being met in GPS III.
Government statistics document that more Americans have died in automobile accidents than have been killed in all the wars that America has ever fought. In his 24 April 2002 press release, Norman Y. Mineta, Secretary of Transportation, stated: “Losing nearly 42,000 of our friends, neighbors and family members [each year] to highway crashes is unacceptable. All of us - individuals as well as government - must work together to change the nation so that highway safety is every American's priority.” In addition to these 42 thousand annual fatalities, more than 3 million Americans are injured each year in highway accidents. There is much room for improvement in highway safety, and a dramatic, even revolutionary, change is needed.
This paper provides historical data on highway deaths and injuries from the Department of Transportation (DOT); a discussion of some automotive safety improvements and their impact on safety; a history of GPS showcasing some automotive applications as well as a description of GPS Modernization (including GPS III). Concepts for future automotive GPS applications including: warning systems, guidance systems, control systems, and information networks are also introduced. Current GPS performance levels and future Modernized GPS performance improvements are projected.