Thousands of satellites, serving a variety of purposes, are continually in orbit high above the earth. The use of satellite technology in vehicle systems provides an ever-increasing array of options for vehicle manufacturers. It is an area of automotive technology that increases the flexibility and power of many onboard systems.
Satellite technology is used in: Navigation, vehicle tracking, vehicle theft recovery, communication, and internet access.
A system known as Global Positioning System, or GPS, can be used to determine the exact location of a vehicle on the earth’s surface. The GPS forms a critical part of vehicle tracking systems, however many other components are required to keep track of the vehicle.
Mountains, tunnels, large buildings and other objects can interfere with satellite communication and make it unreliable.
Most vehicle tracking systems can work very accurately without satellites once their initial position has been determined. On board sensors can be used to keep track of the exact vehicle location.
