Crews in the Highlands are the first to get the technology

The move is partly in response to a sheriff's criticism of the Scottish Ambulance Service following a teenager's death in 2001.

An ambulance despatched to go to the aid of Gareth Newlands, who was crushed by farm machinery, got lost.

Highland crews are the first to use the equipment. It will be rolled out across the 460-ambulance fleet by spring 2007.

Quickest route

The technology was unveiled in Inverness on Wednesday.

The Scottish Ambulance Service said it would improve the speed, quantity and quality of patient information transmitted from a vehicle to hospital.

It also incorporates fully automated route tracking that is directly linked to the systems in the emergency medical dispatch centres.

The service said it would mean the quickest route to a call-out will be instantly displayed to the crew as soon as the vehicle is tasked.

Bale grab

Four years ago, Sheriff James Penman criticised the service for failing to reach Mr Newlands in time.

The 17-year-old was fatally injured after a bale grab he was painting toppled onto him at a farm in Forres, Moray.

Farm workers called emergency services, but an ambulance arrived more than an hour after the accident.

A fatal accident inquiry held at Elgin Sheriff Court heard that a crew from Nairn, 15 miles away, was despatched instead of local crews which were available. The ambulance lost its way.

In his determination, Sheriff Penman recommended that ambulances should be fitted with modern equipment such as global positioning systems so they could reach their destination as quickly as possible.