The launch of Dash Navigation's DashExpress GPS device has led some to predict an onslaught of devices with the ability to connect via cellular or Wi-Fi to provide two-way connectivity for these devices, which allow for real-time traffic data updates, as well as live local search and faster map updates.
A new ABI Research study is predicting that 34% of all personal navigation devices (PND) will ship with on-board connectivity by 2013. According to ABI Research analyst Dominique Bonte, huge price drops will create the need of new recurring revenue streams for device makers. "In order to be successful, connected PND vendors will have to design seamless solutions and compelling services," Bonte says.
Two-way connectivity will create experiences such as finding cheap gas prices, parking space availability, speed trap locations, satellite imagery and online map updates. Location-based social networking applications ("Find the friends closest to my location") will also see growth as two-way communications on these devices emerge.
The inclusion of two-way connectivity also allows the PND to upload information to the cloud for the benefit of others. Dash uses its network connectivity to act as passive probes that collect real-time traffic flow data, and then redistribute the information to other users. ABI Research says that PNDs could also be used to allow for user-generated content such as map corrections, points-of-interest recommendations, as well as for "live location" updates on social networking sites. Not only will you be able to tell the world what you're doing at any given moment, you can tell people exactly where you are.
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Many of the features
Many of the features mentioned in the article are already present in some GPS navigation devices of today, yet the implementation or the usefulness of the features may not yet be good enough to compel customers to pay the monthly fee.
Expect more connectivity in the future
True, most of these features are present in some of the devices today. The prediction surrounds the growth of two-way connectivity for most, if not all devices moving forward.
In addition to making services and features that are compelling for people to pay, I'd also argue that network connectivity speeds and coverage need to be improved as well, or the network access needs to be covered in the price of the device (although that's unlikely to happen as long as the carriers continue to charge for network access).
The point is that one-way connectivity of these GPS devices will soon go away as the trend towards two-way communication grows.
Legal Protections
Is there an organization that is drafting laws to protect the anonymity of devices that provide information to these GPS networks?
When OnStar was introduced, their biggest concern was that OnStar would become an Orwellian tool. Even today, I don't think an attorney can not subpoena the location of a person's vehicle because services like OnStar were designed to not collect individual information in order to protect a customers privacy. But because of this, OnStar does much less than it is really capable of.
They need to pass laws that protect the anonymity of information that is provided to GPS-networks. I don't mind provided my average speed to a real-time navigation network if I can do so without getting a speeding ticket. But someone needs to assure me that my GPS won't be used to give me that ticket.
Several years ago, Wired did an article about Schneider trucking and how their GPS networks made their dispatching much more efficient ( http://www.wired.com/wired/archive/3.01/truckin_pr.html ). This network also was used to track when their drivers broke the speed limit in order to get a discount on insurance. I'd like this same efficiency, but please protect my anonymity to protect me from Big Brother.
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