In today’s world, no high end automotive is without its GPS to helps us travel from destination A to destination B. We can buy optional GPS systems as part of a new car buy or select models that are installed later. However, whether to buy one straight off or select one later that may be of better quality is a tough choice. Here are some considerations to think about when considering buying the GPS option that comes with a new car or having another GPS system installed.
Almost all the newest GPS system have a few things in common: Full-color Street maps, easy touch-screen controls, traffic alerts and rerouting options. It is the other features, cost and your integration options that make the difference.
First off let’s consider cost. Built-in GPS systems offered on new vehicles are often much more expensive. In-dash add-on navigational GPS systems are often only moderately expensive but need to be installed by professionals which can add to your expenses. Portable automotive GPS navigation systems are usually the most economical and easily ported from one vehicle to the next.
Secondly, consider integration with other automotive systems. Built-in GPS’s LCD display are shared with other car systems like climate control, antenna, power attachments, the radio, and hands-free cell phone. In-dash add-on GPS systems usually replace a vehicle’s radio/CD player, require an additional antenna and are not is only partially “integrated” into the car’s systems. Portable GPS systems have the least integration but often do not require external antennae.
New-car built-in GPS systems offered larger LCD screens are usually larger which gives better visibility, but the drawback is that they are usually a step behind in new features and map updates. In-dash GPS also usually include large LCD displays, AM/FM sterol and sometimes CD/DVD players with LCDs that fold away when not in use. While the portable automotive GPS device is usually much smaller, it has the usually provides quickest available update as it can be easily removed and updated through your PC.
Your final consideration is the size of the screen and features. The largest LCD screens are found in the new-car built-in GPS systems which increase visibility to the driver. The drawback to these systems is they are usually slower in feature and map updates. The good news is that in-dash GPS usually provide comparable size LCD displays. They can also provide integrated AM/FM stereo and sometimes CD/DVD players with LCDs that fold away. However, for quickest and easiest updates, it is the portable automotive GPS device that a consumer wants. The drawback is that these devices generally have smaller displays.
Archive for May, 2010
The Automotive GPS: How to Choose One
May 27th, 2010Automotive System Integration Growth Advances
May 25th, 2010It doesn’t seem too long ago that the electrical system in a vehicle was mostly concerned with lights, starter motors, radios and windshield wipers. Those days are long gone. The automotive industry is currently realizing a dramatic increase of electronic equipment for onboard vehicle control. In modern cars, a variety of electronic control units (ECU) delivers sophisticated real-time control functionality.
In the automotive industry, there is little doubt that electronics growth will continue. To remain competitive, it is crucial to seamlessly integrate the new technology. Whether it’s an entertainment system, keyless entry, a back-up camera or touch screen navigation, the role of the automotive manufacturer is increasingly becoming that of a system integrator working closely with its suppliers.
There is a long tradition in the industry of working with suppliers, and a number of suppliers that exist deliver similar systems to vehicle manufacturers. Automotive suppliers are more than happy to fill the needs of manufacturers, and the ever increasing importance of electronics in automobiles brings with it a growing challenge and need for low-cost, reliable electronic systems. These systems are not isolated and must communicate with each other.
Historically, automotive electronics have relied on proprietary, dedicated wire communication schemes (at least for many sensor systems) and directly wired power outputs. This has led to excessive wiring, and wiring consumes space, adds weight and expense, and can be difficult to maintain.
Fortunately, advances in vehicle-networking standards are addressing these issues with the wide adoption of Controller Area Network (CAN) and Local Interconnect Network (LIN) architecture. These network standards are providing a balance between performance and cost optimization across automotive systems. CAN provides a high-speed network for chassis, powertrain and body-backbone communications, while LIN answers the need for a simple network for sensor and actuator subsystems that reduces cost and improves robustness through standardization. Together, the vehicle networking standards and advanced mixed-signal processes provide an opportunity for automotive manufacturers to introduce affordable new electronic systems as well as reduce costs. They also improve maintenance and reliability while providing advanced convenience and safety features, like collision avoidance.
The widespread adoption of CAN and LIN standards is an important development for automotive electronics and becomes much more significant in conjunction with recent advances in mixed-signal semiconductor processes.
Adopting standardized vehicle-networking architectures and using more highly integrated mixed-signal ICs bring several advantages at the system level. The first is an improvement in a system’s robustness and diagnostics. By adopting standardized networks for two-way communication, diagnostic and failure information can be obtained when there are issues with the system.
The second is a reduction in wiring requirements. Using standardized vehicle-networking architectures, it is possible to build a feature- and diagnostic-rich system that requires only three wires. Reduced wiring requirements have less cost, less weight, will be easier to install at the factory, and will help reduce the potential for failure.
Integration also leads to other advantages and savings. Printed Circuit Boards (PCBs) and housings can be smaller, allowing for improved and more flexible placement in the vehicle, with less concern about where and how to run the wires. Through the use of fewer components, there are fewer items to keep in inventory, qualify and monitor. Some of these factors also lead to a reduction in weight and space consumption, factors that are always important in vehicle design.
This advance is another step in increasing the intelligence and capabilities of automotive systems. We’re already witnessing this increased intelligence and capability with complex navigation systems, Internet access, passenger entertainment, ABS brakes, engine management systems and advanced stability control. The next generation of mixed-signal automotive integrated circuits (ICs) will integrate even more performance and processing power. It will provide programmable features and added flexibility that will be used to address the automotive electronic system needs of tomorrow. As these systems become more advanced, the possibilities are limited only by the applications that vehicle designers can imagine and that the end customer is willing to purchase.
