Years ago, millions of motorists experienced the misfortune of getting lost. They’d have to pull over and either ask somebody for directions or refer to their always-handy Thomas Guide. It was inconvenient, but a lot of drivers actually found a small bit of pleasure in solving the puzzle and getting back on the road. Those days are becoming increasingly rare, however. Car manufacturers are now outfitting a greater portion of their vehicle inventories with GPS navigation systems. Armed with these tools, drivers rarely, if ever, have to worry about getting lost.Below, we’ll take a closer look at these units. I’ll explain how they work, how to find the right model for your needs, and offer a few reputable brands to get you started.

How They Work

GPS stands for Global Positioning System. During the 1970’s, the U.S. government developed the technology for the military. A few short decades later, the technology has been expanded to include cars, motorcycles, boats, and other vehicles in the public space.

The system uses a network of satellites (there are at least 24 of them) which rotate around the earth. The GPS unit in your car is merely a receiver for the signals sent by these satellites. Your vehicle’s position is identified by the amount of time it takes for the satellites’ signals to reach your receiver. One signal doesn’t help much. But, once 4 signals from 4 satellites have been received, your GPS unit can reliably calculate your car’s position. From that point, mapping directions is simple.

Shopping For The Right ModelIf you’ve looked for them online, you’ll have noticed that there are a lot of options and brands, and prices can range from $100 to over $1,000. Which model should you choose? First, you should identify the type of driving you do, the amount of time you spend in unfamiliar territory, and your budget (or course). Also, consider that some models can be detached easily from your car’s dashboard. If it’s small enough, it can serve as a ideal navigational device to take with you while hiking.

Reputable Brands

There are dozens of companies that sell GPS devices; some are popular while others are relatively unknown. Notable brands include industry titans Garmin, Magellan, Tom Tom, and Sony. Each of these companies produces a wide inventory of models with varying flexibility to suit different budgets. For example, the Garmin Nuvi 200 sells for a budget-friendly $200 while their voice-activated Nuvi 880 retails for $800.

If you spend very little time driving to new destinations, buying a GPS device may not be necessary. But, for drivers who are weary of getting lost on the road, the investment is a small price to pay for peace of mind.