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                         Vehicle Tracking System

Overview:

It is an electronic device installed in a vehicle to enable the owner or a third party to track the vehicle's location. Most modern vehicle tracking systems use Global Positioning System (GPS) modules for accurate location of the vehicle. Many systems also combine a communications component such as cellular or satellite transmitters to communicate the vehicle’s location to a remote user. Vehicle information can be viewed on electronic maps via the Internet or specialized software. The GPS satellite system is maintained by the Defense. It is available at no cost to civilians. This makes this technology very inexpensive.

Vehicle tracking systems are commonly used by fleet operators for fleet management functions such as routing, dispatch, on-board information and security. Other applications include monitoring driving behavior, such as an employer of an employee, or a parent with a teen driver. Vehicle tracking systems are also popular in consumer vehicles as a theft prevention and retrieval device. Police can simply follow the signal emitted by the tracking system and locate the stolen vehicle. When used as a security system, a Vehicle Tracking System may serve as either an addition to or replacement for a traditional Car alarm. The existence of vehicle tracking device then can be used to reduce the insurance cost, because the loss-risk of the vehicle drops significantly.

          Vehicle tracking systems are an integrated part of the “layered approach” to vehicle protection, recommended by the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB) to prevent motor vehicle theft. This approach recommends four layers of security based on the risk factors pertaining to a specific vehicle. Vehicle Tracking Systems are one such layer, and are described by the NICB as “very effective” in helping police recover stolen vehicles.

Some vehicle tracking systems integrate several security systems, for example by sending an automatic alert to a phone or email if an alarm is triggered or the vehicle is moved without authorization.

Active versus passive tracking

Several types of Vehicle Tracking devices exist. Typically they are classified as "Passive" and "Active".

"Passive" devices store GPS location, speed, heading and sometimes a trigger event such as key on/off, door open/closed. Once the vehicle returns to a predetermined point, the device is removed and the data downloaded to a computer for evaluation. Passive systems include auto download type that transfer data via wireless download.

"Active" devices also collect the same information but usually transmit the data in real-time via cellular or satellite networks to a computer or data center for evaluation.

Many modern vehicle tracking devices combine both active and passive tracking abilities: when cellular network is available and a tracking device is connected it transmits data to a server; when network is not available the device stores data in internal memory and will transmit stored data to the server later when the network becomes available again.

There is a popular misperception that GPS is a "tracking" technology and therefore that it can be easily misused by public agencies and private companies to monitor people's whereabouts

Basic Function

At the most basic level, a GPS vehicle tracking system provides business managers and dispatchers with information on the locations of their vehicles.

 

Software-Enhanced Function

By combining GPS information with advanced software applications , managers and dispatchers can:

  • See current locations and routes of mobile resources on an online map
  • Find out when a vehicle travels across a defined perimeter
  • View reports on activities such as number of stops, time at each stop, speed, idling time, routes traveled, miles traveled and trailer door open or close

Additional Features of vehicle tracking system:

  • Remote reporting of vehicle diagnostics
  • Remote completion of work orders and other forms
  • Two-way messaging
  • Secure in-vehicle Wi-Fi access

Major markets

Vehicle tracking can be used in the following scenarios:

  • Stolen Vehicle Recovery: Both consumer and commercial vehicles can be outfitted with RF or GPS units to allow police to do tracking and recovery. In the case of LoJack, the police can activate the tracking unit in the vehicle directly and follow tracking signals.
  • Fleet Management: When managing a fleet of vehicles, knowing the real-time location of all drivers allows management to meet customer needs more efficiently. Whether it is delivery, service or other multi-vehicle enterprises, drivers now only need a mobile phone with telephony or Internet connection to be inexpensively tracked by and dispatched efficiently.
  • Field Service Management: Companies with a field service workforce for services such as repair or maintenance, must be able to plan field workers’ time, schedule subsequent customer visits and be able to operate these departments efficiently. Vehicle tracking allows companies to quickly locate a field engineer and dispatch the closest one to meet a new customer request or provide site arrival information.
  • Field Sales: Mobile sales professionals can access real-time locations. For example, in unfamiliar areas, they can locate themselves as well as customers and prospects, get driving directions and add nearby last-minute appointments to itineraries. Benefits include increased productivity, reduced driving time and increased time spent with customers and prospects.
  • Trailer Tracking: Haulage and Logistics companies often operate lorries (trucks) with detachable load carrying units. The part of the vehicle that drives the load is known as the cab and the load carrying unit is known as the trailer. There are different types of trailer used for different applications, e.g., flat bed, refrigerated, curtain sider, box container.

Law enforcement or surveillance: A tracker may be hidden on a vehicle to follow the vehicle's movements without the driver's knowledge.