If Your Vehicle’s GPS Isn’t Working, This Might Be The Reason Why
Many people are experiencing the same thing today as their vehicle's GPS system isn't operating and there's one reason behind it.
Newer vehicles have built-in GPS systems in the dashboard. These things have been a lifesaver when going on road trips, assisting thousands in getting to their destinations without getting lost along the way. However, that all has changed today because those GPS systems may. have stopped working.
Most vehicles' built-in GPS systems may have stopped working today (March 1, 2022) because AT&T shut down its 3G network. According to USA Today:
While our smartphones stopped relying on 3G long ago, that's not the case for our vehicles' telematics systems , which capture a car's location, speed, idling time, harsh acceleration or braking, fuel consumption, vehicle faults and other data. That loss of GPS data means your car's built-in navigation system may stop working Tuesday.
This 3G shutdown affects several makes and models of vehicles that have built-in GPS systems. However, people who use Apple CarPlay or Android Auto for their navigation needs won't experience any troubles because those systems mirror your phone. Oh, and if your vehicle doesn't operate under AT&T's 3G system, you're not out of the woods yet. USA Today reports:
T-Mobile will decommission the 3G network it inherited from Sprint on March 31 and unplug its own 3G on July 1. Verizon said it plans to decommission its 3G network by Dec. 31, 2022.
As previously mentioned, there are several makes and models that will experience trouble with their navigation systems. To see if your vehicle is affected by this 3G shutdown, click here.
So, if you have a road trip planned in the near future, you might want to get a phone holder (if you don't already have one) for your vehicle so that you can use the GPS feature on your smartphone to get to your destination.