Our Opinion on Vehicle Tracking Systems: Keeping Track of Your Fleet

Since the first-ever satellite was launched into space we have made use of what we know today as GPS – the global positioning system. Although at first, this system was used mainly for the purpose of both military and commercial aviation it started to become more mainstream at the beginning of the current century. Nowadays GPS is used and implemented by our phones on the daily as the benefits of this system are numerous.

The same ones apply to commercial vehicle tracking. You’d use a vehicle tracking system for the same reasons you’d use a bike lock – safety. If you are someone who owns a fleet of vehicles you’ll use a car tracking system for more than just safety. You’ll want one to keep track of routes to ensure that every driver takes the shortest route possible. These systems rely on the same technology found in your phone but with more options when it comes to monitoring.

Types of Vehicle Tracking Systems

Plug-In

Just like there are different types of vehicles there are also different types of automotive GPS trackers. The most convenient one when it comes to installation and usage is a plug-in tracking system. If you’re after set-it-and-forget-it vehicle tracking systems then plug-in trackers are the best you connect them to the OBD II port of the vehicle and they do the rest.

Battery

If you want an automotive GPS tracker that can be easily concealed then go for a battery-powered one. You can place this type of tracker anywhere you want but keep in mind that you will need to charge it and this will involve removing it and putting it back in the vehicle.

Hardwired

If you want to avoid charging your automotive trackers but still want good concealment then hardwired GPS car trackers are your best option. They are not as easy to install as both plug-in or battery trackers though as they need to be hooked up to the right wires in a vehicle.

What to Look for in a Vehicle Tracker

Reach

Once you’ve decided the types of tracking systems you want to get you then need to check the types of features they offer and how capable they are too. One of these properties is the signal reach. The large the signal reach the bigger the area in which you can track your fleet of vehicles. If your vehicles are leaving the country make sure you get a car tracking system that relies on a wider network of satellites.

Alerts

You’ll also want to consider getting vehicle tracking systems that can alert you if one of your vehicles wanders off in an unwanted area or if it exits out of a certain area. You can also set alerts for when a vehicle stops and start moving and so on.

Geofencing

For a car tracking system to send out alerts when a vehicle enters or exits an area, it needs to have a geofencing feature. Geofencing allows you to select an area on a map and thus use that are to either keep vehicles off of it or in it. Based on that information you can set alerts on your GPS car tracker.

Passive vs Active Tracking

There are two ways an automotive GPS tracker can operate passively or actively. Passive tracking is when the device sends out the location of a vehicle upon movement. If a vehicle stops the device will send out the location where the vehicle was last moving. Unlike passive tracking, devices with active tracking can tell you the location of a vehicle in real-time. No matter if the vehicle is moving or not you will get its current location at all times.

FAQ:

Are New Cars Fitted with Trackers?

This may be true for some cars but not all vehicles come with built-int trackers. For example, all new Mercedes-Benz vehicles are made with tracking devices implemented in them but this is because the manufacturer decided to do that.

Can a GPS Tracker Be Detected?

A GPS car tracker can be detected as long as you’re using the right equipment for it. GPS bug detectors are devices that use radio frequency signals used by GPS trackers to find out if a vehicle has a tracker on it. The presence of these signals gives away the tracker’s location as it uses them to communicate back and forth with cellular networks.

How Can You Tell If Your Car Has a GPS Tracker on It?

The easiest way to tell if your vehicle has a GPS tracker put on it is to look under it. This is the most common place people put trackers on vehicles and if there is no one there, there may be one on the inside of the fender above, the wheel. If your vehicle is being tracked you can also find a device hidden under the dashboard if it’s hooked up to the OBD II port of your vehicle, which is highly unlikely. Just think about it who would want to put a tracking device there and how would they do that unless they have access to your vehicle.

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