Remember the days when taking a road trip with your family meant stopping at the nearest gas station and grabbing a map to your destination? Well, guess what, those days are over. In today’s world, instead of grabbing a map you can simply use a GPS navigation system to get to your destination with turn by turn direction. GPS which is short for Global Positioning System is the magic that makes it all happen. GPS taps into the information provided by satellites in outer space that provide reliable location and time data from all corners of the world. With this vast amount of information at its disposal, GPS navigation systems are becoming increasingly popular.
GPS had its origins in the military but it has gained significant application as a civilian technology as well. It is widely used for commerce, tracking, surveillance, map making, scientific research, recreational activities among many other uses. Motorists of all kind find these devices extremely powerful as they provide valuable information on a day to day basis with precision accuracy that allows them to navigate traffic by finding the shortest routes, avoid unnecessary delays caused by accidents and other road work, locate Points of Interest (POI) along their journey and so forth. GPS navigation systems for cars have effectively rendered the use of maps completely obsolete and archaic.
A few years ago I went to Washington DC for the very first time armed with only the address of the hotel where I was staying. I thought hopefully I can get a cab with a driver who is familiar with the place where I am going. To my surprise he didn’t need to know where I was going. He had a portable GPS navigation system in his car. He simply entered the address and just like that we were there with turn by turn voice commands, there was no way we could get lost. I was completely blown away.
GPS navigation systems for cars have definitely been a game changer. There is no longer any need to drive around in frustration asking for directions as you try to find where you want to go. Simply get yourself a navigation system and forget the hassle.
Car manufacturers over the last few years have all included the option of an in-dash GPS navigation system to make your commute much simpler as you travel from place to place. However, some road users find having a portable system more ideal because you are not restricted to in car use only but you have the additional flexibility to be used while walking or jogging.
There are several options that are available to you when you decide to get a portable navigation system for your car. Some of the top manufacturers in this market are Garmin, TomTom, Motorola and Magellan. They come in different sizes with a variety of features from voice commands to lane guidance and real time weather updates depending on your need and budget.
