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Driving with GPS

In-car navigation isn't for everyone; the price alone will cause many people to forgo this technology in favor of the good old street directory. Moreover GPS is usually dismissed as not being necessary in the entire 644sq km that is Singapore. However, if you have a bad sense of direction, or just can't get your map oriented in the correct direction, GPS can make the driving more enjoyable and stress-free, with fewer fights with your spouse who's usually the unwilling navigator. For those who drive to Malaysia a lot, a GPS could lead you to marvelous food places or major attractions effortlessly, greatly expanding the number of destinations while optimizing your traveling time and distance in unfamiliar territory.

The Asian disconnect
Note, though, that neighboring Asia such as Thailand, the Philippines and Vietnam, suffer from a lack of maps to use. Hence, we will not be covering those countries in the region.

As a business tool, GPS can be a tremendous aid for field service or delivery personnel or if you frequent different cities on business trips. Some new systems even let companies track their vehicles in the field. As the technology advances and we start seeing more real-time traffic-report capabilities, it will be easier to avoid the bumper-to-bumper grind with the GPS automatically suggesting and recalculating alternate routes with less traffic.

GPS navigation not foolproof
Like any technology, GPS isn't foolproof. You still have to rely on a strong satellite signals to pinpoint your position on the planet. So if you're driving in a heavily wooded area or an urban jungle, you must have a good idea of where you've been and where you're going as you may no longer be tracking your actual location. It's important to remember that GPS is a navigation aid that will enhance your driving experience, not an automatic pilot. Still, if you're prone to wrong turns and constantly getting lost, this technology is for you.

Nearly all vehicle GPS systems come with a warning stating that drivers should not enter information into the unit while operating the vehicle. As a safety precaution, some models lock the onscreen keyboard and the touchscreen capabilities while the vehicle is moving. Unless the device has the ability to accept voice commands, searching and creating routes while in motion should be left to a passenger, even if it comes with a remote control. With voice-guided driving directions, the driver doesn't have to glance at the screen; instead, it's a matter of waiting for the voice prompts to get you moving in the right direction.

Other than helping you get from place to place, automotive GPS systems offer little else in the way of entertainment, although we're seeing more models integrate such features as MP3 players, image viewers, and audiobooks. Also, off-road drivers will find GPS useful for exploring unpaved terrain and creating their own rendezvous points and trails based on their latitude and longitude coordinates.

« How GPS mapping works  | Special considerations in S'pore »

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