Originally conceived and developed by the United States Department of Defense for use in military applications, GPS tracking technology has in recent years been opened up to commercial development and use by the general public. As a result of this, GPS tracking has seen a huge rise in popularity as more and more ways to utilize the technology have emerged in the marketplace. GPS capability can now be found in newer cars either standard or as an upgrade option or as an aftermarket accessory for older cars as a replacement for having to deal with paper maps for navigation purposes, as a handheld personal device for campers, hunters and other outdoor users, in some newer cell phones as a tracking device, and there are even GPS treasurehunting groups who hide objects and then post clues on the internet, for users to try and find using GPS systems. GPS systems are also finding great use by companies for tracking movement of vehicles and personnel as a way of monitoring and lowering business costs. And they are also being used by individuals as a way of monitoring personal vehicles against theft and to monitor younger drivers whereabouts and driving habits.

A GPS system is basically an electronic transmitter/receiver that is in communication with a series of 24 satellites which orbit above the earth, and through communication with the satellites, can pinpoint where on earth that receiver is. In the case of automobile navigation units, the user programs in a destination to the receiver and the satellites determine where the receiver is and then the receiver, using map data programmed into it can map the most direct route to get to the destination entered into it and display that information on a view screen. The information is constantly updated through communication between the receiver and the orbiting satellite system. Some GPS receivers can also be used as tracking and monitoring devices to monitor movement of vehicles for commercial fleet management as a means of controlling business costs due to unnecessary travel which increse fuel costs as fuel prices continue to climb to record high levels. These same types of tracking units can also be used by individuals to monitor personal vehicles of all kinds to prevent loss due to theft. An extra benefit of owning a unit like this would be a possible reduction in insurance costs to the vehicle owner since recovery would be much more likely in the event of a theft. Another possible good use of these types of tracking units would be to be able to monitor the whereabouts and driving habits of younger drivers or as an emergency means of locating a missing person through tracking movement of their vehicle. Many units can be monitored very easily through the internet or by cell phone (if the phone has the capability for this type of monitoring). Most units of this type can alert the owner by cell phone if a preset condition has been activated or breached.

As with most electronic items, mass production is bringing the price down to the point where it is affordable to most everyone who is interested in GPS tracking. Basic units can be found for as little as a couple of hundred dollars, while more complex systems can run as much as a thousand dollars depending on what features and capabilities an individual has need or want of. Some GPS tracking systems may require an additional monthly monitoring fee similar to monthly cell phone charges.