New satellite good news - they try to hide the bad [RANT!]

[AndRu]

Isn't it amazing that the Government are talking up all the safety aspects and positive social benefits of the Galileo Satellite System that they're investing another £21m in.

"The Galileo project has real potential to develop groundbreaking technology leading to more accurate in-car navigation and new systems for the emergency services to locate missing or injured people," said Mr Darling.

What they hide away at the end is the real reason for the investment.

Powerful applications are expected on the roads; it will allow a vehicle's precise movements to be tracked, presenting new possibilities for road-user charging and tolling. The precision and availability of the Galileo signal will allow charges to be applied based on the distance travelled by a vehicle and other parameters.

The Government wouldn't be financing Galileo without thinking about the huge profits. They'll be reaping more then £21m a week from tracking all those daft enough to have a sat-nav system installed.

Unless you're a member of the emergency services or a courier, what possible need does anyone have for a sat-nav system? What's wrong with an (untrackable from space) A-Z map or asking for directions at a petrol station? Anyone that already has or is intending to buy a sat-nav system is sweet KER-CHING music to Gordon Brown and his treasury bean counters. The more people that have these trackable systems the easier it will be for them to bill you for everything you do in a car. They ought to be investing £21m+ in public transport schemes (Ha!) to give us the option of using something other than our cars.

I guess this is how the government is going to fund the massive increases needed in social spending for schools, hospitals, benefits and other services to cater for the increase in our population.

Me? I can't wait to leave.

 

[Tron[ADS]]

? Anyone that already has or is intending to buy a sat-nav system is sweet KER-CHING music to Gordon Brown and his treasury bean counters. The more people that have these trackable systems the easier it will be for them to bill you for everything you do in a car.

Do you think SatNav systems actualy uplink to the satelites ?

Your very wrong if you do...they simply receive signals from a multitude of satelites and measure time differences between them to triangulate your GPS position.

The Satelites wouldnt even know if no-one was using them, and in no-way are they "trackable".

 

[AndRu]

Tron,

How about this or this or even this article which all discuss the Galileo system being implemented for road charging. Whilst the a sat-nav system itself doesn't send data to the satellite, it will be used to track your movements down to the last metre. There are loads of government documents about road charging using Galileo here.

I'm about to leave for Angelsey ... A38, A50, A51, A55, A5025. Quick look at the map book - done. Who needs a sat-nav system that will soon be automatically sucking money from you bank account?

 

[wickesy]

AndRu,

The point remains that, as far as I am aware, none of the current consumer Sat Nav units transmit any data anywhere and therefore cannot be used to track your position at all. Also when the Galileo satellites are launched the current units will not be compatible with them because they will not know they exist.

Also if the Government do decide to use Galileo for road charging, which I agree they probably will, then surely it will be obligatory for everybody wanting to use toll roads to have one. To take your example - if the road to Anglesey was subject to road charging would you go for free and I get charged simply because I have a Sat Nav unit? If you follow that logic then very few, if any, people would buy one.

 

[Frances999]

Firstly, should the government decide to use the Galileo system for tracking and charging, it would be compulsory for all, not just those with satellite navigation systems: so it looks like you might be needing one too. Secondly, and once again agreeing with wickesy, I don't believe that current consumer satellite navigation systems actually transmit information.

I don't really see the point of this thread. You argue that SatNav systems are unnecessary. That's fair enough - it's your point of view. However, the fact that other people choose to use SatNav systems in their vehicles does not have anything to do with government plans for road charging. If the government intends to use Galileo for road charging, then they will, regardless of how many people own SatNav systems. They will simply make it a requirement for new cars to be fitted with the systems. I don't understand your logic in that you believe "it will automatically be sucking money" from the bank accounts of SatNav owners, but not from the bank accounts of people without SatNav systems. That's not only unrealistic but also ridiculous and simply wouldn't happen. Do you really think many people would keep their SatNav systems if that was the case?

 

[PaulaSB12]

First I could probaby do with a sat nav system considering how often I get lost, honestly I have the homing ability of a dead duck. As for road charging they do that already you get charged by how much petrol you use. They want petrol tax to stay the same increase road tax (the committee wants cars like my renault clio to go from £100 to £600) and have road charging!!!! The bus companies are reducing buses the train companies doing the same with trains and the government wants to force us out of cars how do we get to work????????????? I work a 3 shift system that does not have ANY public transport options so car is the only way.

 

[Tron[ADS]]

Tron,

How about this or this or even this article which all discuss the Galileo system being implemented for road charging.

Thats the Galileo system, not due for introduction until 2010. No current or even forthcoming system uplinks....Your statement "Anyone that already has or is intending to buy a sat-nav system" troubled me as there might be those that might have actualy believed your innacurate scaremongering.

 

[waltfan1957]

Me? I can't wait to leave.

me to

 

[jen_uk]

First I could probaby do with a sat nav system considering how often I get lost, honestly I have the homing ability of a dead duck.