Great advances in GPS have been made over the last ten years or so. But, this technology is far from being completely tapped. The European Commission just made an announcement that a new data access service will soon be available to the public via the Internet. The specific of this service are that European Access Data Service (EADS) will make GPS far more accurate. What this means to the public at large is that using GPS to track things like fleets and fertilizer spray will hit an all time high as far as accuracy is concerned.

How The New Technology Works

The EADS will soon be accessing 40 different monitoring stations located throughout Europe. These stations, in turn, will gain satellite signals from U.S. satellites. Six of the stations available will manage GPS data that is being sent, and three of the stations will then send that data to GPS users. If this all sounds like something out of Star Wars or are reminiscent of Lost, you aren’t completely off base. Using satellites between countries, GPS as a whole can be come stronger and better all around. This, in turn, will help those who use GPS to gain a far more accurate signal, which will then provide the world with better navigation from every angle.

You may think that a GPS update like the one announced by the European Commission doesn’t impact you directly, but this is actually not true at all. While your personal GPS device that you may have in your car might not be impacted, things like transportation and fertilization have an impact on everyone. So, the fact that GPS is becoming more and more advanced every day is actually a great thing for everyone, even if you never spray crops or don’t have anything to do with logistics.

The Signal Interruption Factor

The single most important obstacle in the way of GPS progression is the possibility of signal interruption. Since GPS relies on satellite signals, it is relatively simple for these signals to be knocked out. When this happens, armies, trucking companies, and anyone else who relies on GPS to navigate can be left scrambling. Right now, there are some companies working on GPS devices that can’t be interrupted. As for the new announcement from the European Commission, a representative has told press that the new GPS data will work even when satellite space is unavailable, but this doesn’t mean that the new technology is not susceptible to hackers.

Still, the advancements that the European Commission has announced are significant. Since GPS is used widely across the world in order to help people from all walks of life complete a number of tasks, advancements in GPS is important. If you want to find out more about the new GPS signals or why these subtle announcements made by countries are vital to life in general, make sure to check out the European Commission’s website where you can view the official press release and see comments from the European Commission’s president, Antonia Tajani.