Often, the term GPS Tracking and GPS Navigation are mingled and used indifferently in describing them as solutions for Car Security and Safety. Few consider it overlapping terms and can be quiet baffling in understanding it precise utility.
Both GPS Vehicle Tracking System and GPS Navigation System use GPS or GLONASS technology for locating the vehicle. Both make use of data sent and received via satellites that orbit our earth, but are packaged in two different ways. The applications may be different but the underlining ICT Infrastructure and Architecture are the same. Both use satellites to pinpoint the whereabouts of you or your vehicle.
How the Application is Different?
GPS Vehicle Tracking System tells you where you or your Vehicle has been whereas GPS Navigation assists you in determining how to reach a particular destination.
In GPS Navigation System, an LCD Display panel with Tracking Device (Comprising Network SIM with GPRS Enabled) is installed in your Vehicle which receives signals from the Satellite which helps in determining its location. The latitude and longitude and longitudes are mapped on digitized map that is available on LCD Screen. There are advanced Solutions which assists driver with route for 2 destination points. It is purely for Driver assistance in reaching the destination. Nowadays, Smartphones Applications (iPhone, Android, and Blackberry Application) are also used for the same.
GPS Vehicle Tracking use GSM Network Infrastructure with Application Server which assists the operator in viewing Real-time Location through Internet or Software Application. It has altogether different application where you like to know the whereabouts of your chauffeur-driven vehicles. It is more of a Business Application or can be used for Personal Tracking. It has 2 Variants in the form of Active and Passive Tracking. It provides a web-based platform (Web Interface/Application) to view your vehicles in real-time and reports showing historical data on where the vehicles have been.
The GPS Tracking Devices and Software Solutions are used by Big Enterprise and Fleet Owners to analyze the patterns of movement to increase operational efficiency. PSU’s are also using GPS vehicle tracking devices in logistics. Five-year plan from 2007-2012 was launched by states of Tamil Nadu and Chhattisgarh to install tracking devices on the vehicles they use for PDS distribution. It was been observed that a higher percentage of the goods were making it to the final destination without loss or diversion into the black market. The system also helped increase efficiency and cut costs throughout the entire distribution process.
References:-
http://www.rmtracking.com/blog/2013/02/18/gps-used-to-track-food/