Andrew Ashdown EEO 300 Assignment 2 GPS Unit Appearance Automobile GPS units, or Global Positioning Systems, are small portable devices used by many drivers today. GPS units are generally black in color, and exhibit a pixelized screen which displays your location, destination, mapping, etc. The screen shows the road which you are travelling, moving your location as you drive. GPS units are usually fixed to the car dash via a small attachment device. This allows for ease of use and ensures the highest level of safety while driving. Many GPS units also include a voice feature which provides audio directions as well. This too allows the driver to focus on the road while traveling. Function The GPS unit allows drivers to input an address destination before they begin to travel. The GPS system has more than thirty satellites available to calculate and display the driver’s location, and map the directions to the desired destination. GPS systems are accurate to within approximately ten feet of the driver’s position. The GPS unit exchanges radio signals with four nearby satellites to determine the automobile’s location. The satellites are able to determine the car’s position by recording the time and position at which the signal was received. The GPS unit then calculates its distance from each of the four satellites and determines its exact location.
