Operators with integrated Global Positioning Systems (GPS), please be aware of the upcoming April 6, 2019, GPS Week Number Rollover (WNRO) or End of Week (EOW) event which refers to the way dates are processed in the GPS.
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Will This Impact Me?
The event surrounds the need for hardware providers, that rely on the GPS, to release a firmware update to correctly set and receive the new GPS time format.
While the list of users who will be impacted is long and varied, the key factor lies within the GPS receiver’s modem firmware, or the device that your navigation software is installed to or running on. For example, GPS tracking devices installed in a fleet management system that aren’t updated correctly could cause system errors if they start to provide location data that is potentially up to 20 years out of date.
Since this is the second time the GPS Week Number Rollover will occur (the first rollover occurred in August of 1999), many GPS receiver manufacturers have already prepared for it. Newer receivers will continue to operate without issue.
What Should I Do?
The United States Department of Homeland Security has issued guidelines for the rollover event - Memorandum on GPS 2019. Ultimately, the best thing to do is check if your GPS receiver firmware is up to date, but if you still have doubts, there are numerous resources online for more technical information.