There was a time when most of your friends and family would not own sat-nav devices, but today this is not the case with a recent report stating that the UK is “over-reliant” on the use of GPS, so much so that it now has become a matter of national security.
You can read the full report on raeng.org.uk, Royal Academy of Engineering. Most new cars have satellite navigation built-in, and we doubt most people even have a map in their car, let alone use one. What would you do if there were a natural disaster that wiped out GPS signals? The report highlights this and other possibilities.
We are starting to move into a period that our sun will be more active than normal, and while this might not lead to a 2012 type event (end of the world), we could see a large solar flare cause problems to our electronics. The impact of such an event would be devastating; our world is completely connected by electronics, which includes the use of GPS for businesses that provide services.
You will find GPS is a vital part of our financial system, not to mention emergency services, railways, and shipping. Even simple jamming equipment could cause major problems to the UK infrastructure. The report states that Western countries rely on satellite radio navigation for 6-7% of GDP.
Have a read of the full report here, and let us know your thoughts.
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