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GPS is the Global Positioning System, the only system to provide position plots. The Iridium is a communication system. Now, it is possible that the technology utilizes both systems (and I'd be suprised if it didn't).

The article states 60" accuracy, but as far as I know, the Military is the only user that has that capability. Civilian use accuracy is 30 meters (about 90 feet). Even so, 90 feet is accurate when you are looking for a stolen car.

They mentioned keeping in contact using a cell system, which I assume stays in global contact using Iridium, Globalstar, or some other satellite constellation.

GPS receivers are getting to resemble hand-held computers with little antennas on them. $300 will get you something with digital maps already in memory, probably down to the street you live on. And it will put an X on the map where you are standing.

There was a thread a couple months ago about a rental car agency surcharging someone for excessive speed and they used an earlier version of a tracking system like this.

Not long ago a satellite tracking company sold their assets in bankruptcy, it being still not a viable business [soon it will be, though] and they had a dozen or so satellites in orbit that they were practically giving away. Like what happened with Iridium, which just launched 5 more satellites last weekend.

It's not just coming in the future, it's already here.

My GPS often has a 14 foot accuracy level. I use Garmin products. This all depends on satellite positioning, and whether or not the gov is screwing with atomic clocks onboard the satellites to create an error level sufficient to throw off anything launced at US interests which uses our GPS system for navigation.