Believe it or not the accuracy of the GPS does not depend entirely on the GPS model that you purchased (auto gps, automobile gps, automotive gps, bluetooth gps, portable gps, trucker gps, etc). Thus, the answer to this question will always change. Of course the first GPS receivers on the market were far less accurate than the GPS receivers that you could probably purchase online today. The United States satellite laws keep changing with the advancement of GPS technology. In fact before the year 2000 United States or US military intentionally introduced inaccuracies into the common GPS users signal. This intentional GPS signal error is called Selective Availability or SA. According to reports this was done to the GPS for security reasons. It wasn’t until later that year into 2000 that President Bill Clinton decided to turn off SA and allow all GPS users free and full access to the increasing accurate GPS signal. Keep in mind that GPS SA can selectively be turned on and off without prior notice, but will probably only happen for national security reasons.

Most GPS devices (portable gps, automobile gps, trucker gps, etc.) that consumers purchase should achieve an accuracy level of approximately 15 to 30 feet under normal GPS operational conditions. The higher end portable GPS devices should be accurate to within 50 feet 95% of the time. Keep in mind different manufacturers (including the big shot companies) will use different chips in their GPS receiver line which produce in accurate specs in their GPS receivers. So try your best to always buy high end GPS models and not the lower end models.

When buying a GPS receiver make sure it is a high end GPS model and say away from used or refurbished GPS models. The Design of a GPS will affect the GPS accuracy and prior use and abuse on used or refurbished GPS models will affect the GPS chip to produce inaccurate readings.

If you are looking for the most accurate consumer GPS unit, it’s important to pay attention to the unit’s design and chip type. At Newelectronx, we always use the latest GPS technology in our GPS receiver chips. The chips that our GPS receivers use can expect to reach the best GPS accuracy levels available under current GPS use and current GPS conditions.

Why is this important? Because environmental factors will affect the GPS accuracy. There are many different environmental influences that may affect the accuracy of your car GPS, portable GPS, running GPS, walking GPS, etc. Such as heavy tree coverings, tall building, deep canyons, freeway under passes, or any other locations in which your view of the GPS is limited to direct contact with the sky. Atmospheric conditions can also produce inaccurate readings on your GPS hand held receiver. So, the accuracy of a car GPS, truck GPS, portable GPS, walking GPS, running GPS, swimming GPS, motorcycle GPS, or whatever type of GPS will always be degraded with some form of inaccuracy. Therefore the answer to the blunt question how accurate is a GPS receiver will continue to change.