GPS for Motorcycles, Comparisons and Reviews

After the recent devastating earthquake in Italy, which left the medieval city of L’Aquila, not far from Rome, in ruins, the questions rise as to what we can do to minimise the impact of earthquakes in the future. 

The Italian earthquake is surrounded by a bit of controversy, as it turns out that the disaster had been predicted by a local researcher who had been monitoring the level of radon (the gas formed by radioactive decay of radium atoms in the ground) for several months prior to the quake. Despite his raising the public concern, his efforts were dismissed by the local authorities, with the now widely reported consequences. Reminds you of how Britain was hit by the hurricane in 1987, after being reassured by Michael Fish, the BBC TV weather presenter.

The lesson drawn by the Italian authorities is such that, because Italy has got a long history of earthquakes, these catastrophes are pretty much taken as a part of the country’s menu. So are they in Japan which is also known for its devastating earth moves. There, however, one enterprising car manufacturer took over the reins of enabling the drivers and car owners to receive the tremor and flooding notifications via their mobile phones. 

Already in 2007, Honda has produced and offered the Internavi GPS system that effectively combines satellite navigation and earthquake-survival technology. The GPS uses the owner’s mobile phone data to report about the potential dangers in the area. The maps in the GPS memory are then mashed-up with the mobile data to report the conditions of the roads, where those may be damaged or closed. Information about possible flooding is also included in the reports. The Internavi was going to appear in Honda’s Fit model at no extra charge, except the network charges for data packs.

A similar improvement in the GPS system in European countries, as well as the U.S., would certainly be much welcomed by the drivers. This would not be just the case of Italy, but many inland European counties, like Belgium, that suffer from floods. The British drivers would likely appreciate this kind of information, too. A few years ago Manchester has been mildly touched by an earthquake, while the railways and roads in Wales are regularly being closed due to floods. 

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