What is the difference between GPS Tracking and Navigation?

GPS or Global Positioning System is an incredible technology that can be used by everyday people nowadays. GPS technology can determine your position on the globe with accuracy.

How does GPS work?

GPS works in a very simple way. The satellites can track a GPS receiver (the device which we use to track something). Then it sends the positional information. Then our car stereo can use the information and place the location on a map.

Difference between GPS Navigation and Tracking

The GPS navigation or tracking both have different uses and purpose, but both of them use a GPS system.

Navigation: The navigation is used in transport, it can be a car, ship or even an aeroplane. The navigation is used for locating a destination and reaching that point.

Tracking: The tracking can be used on anything that is needed to be tracked, including transport, humans, animals, products or device etc.

Let’s get to know about the differences between them.

The flow of Information:

In the Navigation System, the GPS locates the position of the transport and sends the information to the driver by decoding it in a map. It also locates the destination point where the transport is willing to go. It is because of the GPS navigation that a driver gets turn by turn directions.

In the Tracking System, just like the navigation system, the GPS locates the position of the transport or anything with a GPS receiver. But unlike the navigation system, the information of the location goes to someone who wants to monitor the entity with the GPS receiver.

Purpose:

The purpose of using GPS navigation is to reach a destination point or identifying one’s own position in the map.

The purpose of tracking is to identify something or someone else’s position on a map.

Use:

The GPS navigation will navigate you to your desired point. No matter where you live on the globe, GPS navigation will work. If you want to reach a destination but you don’t know how to get there then GPS navigation can take you to your destination.

The GPS tracker will simply track your current location or movements. If you are a business owner and want to monitor deliveries for example, then you can track their position and their movement speed using a GPS tracker.