Untitled - Ministerstwo Rozwoju Regionalnego

public discussion on the potential applications of the system in the European
Union. Furthermore, the tasks of the public sector were indicated, where it
should support work on the applications. In September 2007, the European
Commission plans to sum up the results of the public debate and prepare a set
of practical instruments for implementation as of the beginning of 2008.
The main application of satellite navigation in transport is vehicle tracking.
With an on-board satellite positioning receivers, the vehicle’s movements can be
monitored from any location in the world. Just by fitting a vehicle with an onboard
computer connected to the receiver, it is possible to obtain and transmit
(e.g. to a traffic management centre of the company) additional, highly detailed
information about the speed, the distance covered, fuel consumption, vehicle
operating time etc. Information can also flow in the other direction, namely
from the centre to the driver, using alert signal, fax or telephone / GSM (depending
on the operational capabilities of the terminal fitted in the vehicle). Such
information can pertain to incidents on the road, information about the route
etc. 4 Advanced technical methods allow the use of satellite navigation as a tool
supporting or even enabling the movement of a vehicle in difficult conditions
(e.g. in seaports –vessel handling in adverse atmospheric conditions).
The range of applications of satellite navigation in the various transport
modes is presented in Table 20.
7.3.1. Road transport
The first mode of transport to use satellite navigation was sea transport. But
when technical parameters made it possible (reduction in the size of the devices
fitted in vehicles), car satellite navigation system was introduced. At the
moment, applications of satellite navigation in road transport are wide-ranging.
Increasingly often, GPS receivers are installed in up-market vehicles, enabling
the use of satellite navigation in the car. Computerised road maps and atlases
have also become popular. With technological progress, additional applications
are possible, such as alerting emergency services (in the event of accident or
breakdown, etc.) together with automatic vehicle location or even, using the
on-board computer, information about the type of damage; also tracking a stolen
vehicle.
The common use of satellite positioning systems in vehicles will also become
an increasingly precise traffic management instrument. The potential functions
of the navigation systems are used as one of the main elements of the so-called
Intelligent Transport System (ITS). Traffic monitoring and management can
therefore be greatly improved. If the average speed of vehicles equipped with
satellite positioning devices is significantly reduced, the traffic control centre can
4 Navigation system GALILEO. Strategic, scientific and technical aspects. Collective work. WK£,
Warszawa 2006.
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