Development of a GIS-Based Embedded Vehicle Navigation Prototype Using GPS and Digital Compass Integration

Abstract

The increasing demand for efficient transportation has accelerated the development of intelligent vehicle navigation systems capable of providing accurate positioning and route guidance. This study aims to develop a prototype Geographic Information System (GIS) for vehicle navigation by integrating a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver, a digital compass, an AVR microcontroller, and a computer-based visualization interface. The results demonstrated that the prototype successfully acquired and transmitted real-time positioning, speed, and heading information while maintaining reliable communication with the computer. The GPS receiver remained operational at vehicle speeds of up to approximately 100 km/h, and the measured speed showed good agreement with the vehicle speedometer. Although slight positioning deviations and map display inaccuracies were observed due to standalone GPS positioning and raster-based mapping, the prototype successfully fulfilled its intended navigation functions. The developed prototype demonstrates that integrating GPS, a digital compass, and GIS provides a practical and cost-effective solution for embedded vehicle navigation systems and offers a useful foundation for future research involving advanced sensor fusion and intelligent transportation technologies.