GPS have their year 2000 | They could stop working …

The GPS would stop working from this Saturday if it concluded the countdown that would make the system unsustainable. This is the week number roll (WNR). The GPS, or global positioning system, in Spanish, was commissioned on 6 January 1980 with a counting capacity of up to 1024 weeks.

If the stop occurs, the GPS will have no longer time reference and will not give accurate information. They could indicate where they are, but not when. Strictly speaking, this would be the second time that a system crisis would occur. On August 21, 1999, the termination of the first WNR was complete, although at that time, the infrequent use of GPS avoided further complications.

Where does the number 1024 come from? System developers used 10 bits of information due to technological limitations. By using 10 bits, you can have 1024 variants, one per week. The term expires every 19 years. That is why, after the 1999 episode, the witnesses lit 1024 weeks after August 21, almost 20 years ago.

At the end of the 1024 weeks, the GPS will enter a phase similar to that of the year 2000 effect, the collapse of the computer of the year 2000, whose consequences have not been as catastrophic than expected. This Saturday, it is likely that the affected GPS will display an incorrect date and time. This simple phase shift puts the system at risk because its operation depends on chronological data.

Despite this, experts believe that positioning accuracy does not have to be affected. and many devices will operate with the same positioning performance as before the reset. Overall, the older GPS are the ones that have the worst part, so it is recommended to change them to a more modern unit.

The most modern equipment, meanwhile, can be updated. Since most do not have an Internet connection, the software must be updated. In the case of portable devices, the update is available on the manufacturer's website. This can be done with a memory card or via a USB port. If the equipment is integrated with the car, the ideal is to take it to the workshop to make changes.