Thales Navigation, a global provider of GPS solutions, including the Magellan and Ashtech product lines, has introduced its A12 OEM 12-channel GPS receiver for automotive applications. According to the company, the A12 is accurate to within one meter using local DGPS corrections, and three meters through WAAS, EGNOS and MSAS compatibility. “There’s a strong and growing demand for GPS within automotive markets like fleet management and trucking, both as in-vehicle navigation aids and as control systems for managers keeping track of their fleet vehicles,” said Neil Vancans, general manager of Thales Navigation’s professional products business unit. “Thales Navigation has demonstrated its expertise in these markets – with both our Ashtech professional solutions and our Magellan consumer products – for several years. We’re confident the A12 will set the standard for high-performance, low-cost GPS boards.” In terms of power consumption, the company says the A12 uses a low .23 watts at 3.3 volts DC. That compares to .70 watts for previous-generation boards and .47 watts for leading competitive units. In addition to the compact 60-mm x 39-mm x 13-mm size, the A12 flexibility and ease of integration is expected to appeal to integrators, according to the company. The system is designed to use active or passive antennas and is compatible with the products of most antenna manufacturers, giving integrators wide latitude in choosing their equipment. Further, the A12 is compatible with the National Marine Electronics Association (NMEA) 0183 protocol for GPS receivers to enable easy integration with other applications. About Thales Navigation
Thales Navigation is a developer and manufacturer of positioning, navigation and guidance equipment with operations throughout the U.S. and Europe. Thales Navigation markets its Magellan brand GPS solutions in the consumer electronics, recreation, and automotive markets, and its Ashtech GPS and GNSS professional products in the survey, GIS/Mapping, and OEM markets. Thales Navigation says its key innovations include the first U.S. commercial hand-held GPS receiver for positioning and navigation, and the first handheld GPS with industry standard Secure Digital Memory Card capabilities. Thales Navigation, headquartered in Santa Clara, Calif., is a subsidiary of Thales, a professional electronics company headquartered in Paris, France, with activities in aerospace, defense and information technology and services. For more information, visit www.thalesnavigation.com.