Location Technology One Of The Fastest Growing Sectors Of GPS Technology

While manufacturers of both professional and consumer Global Positioning System (GPS) products have attracted attention lately with announcements of record profits, one segment of the market has remained largely overlooked. One of the fastest growing markets for GPS technology today is vehicle tracking and location technology. That is, according to a recently released study by Research and Markets.

More commonly known as Fleet Management, the use of GPS technology by fleet owners and dispatchers for tracking their vehicles is booming. The international market research firm estimates that there are approximately 1.91 million GPS or wireless devices being used for tracking trailers, fleet vehicles, mobile workers and construction equipment, making it one of the fastest growing markets for GPS technology.

Experts say businesses have plans for using GPS for more than just making sure truck drivers don't take unauthorized side trips. In the future, location technology will be integrated with sales terminals providing the ability to take customer authorization on site. Dispatchers and employees will be able to communicate back and forth and even re-route shipments based on customer needs.

While some civil rights advocates and especially unions have expressed concerns about "big brother" watching over workers, it appears that the benefits to businesses are so great that such systems are here to stay.

See also:
Mapping For The Masses: GPS Market At $22 Billion By 2008
GPS Raises More Privacy Concerns