Vehicle Trackers – Just How Good Are They?

Covert vehicle trackers have been around in various formats for about four years now. We look at what the consumer requires and what you should expect in relation to general design, features, accuracy and reliability.

Vehicle Trackers Under The Spotlight

Vehicle trackers in their current format have been around for nearly four years now. Previously the accurate tracking of a vehicle using a GPS system was only possible when the GPS device was installed inside the vehicle, but in 2006 a new breed of tracking devices arrived that enabled GPS technology to be used in Vehicle Trackers that could be placed underneath a vehicle.

Obviously, there are many current variations of the magnetic GPS tracker available on the market today. Some make incredible claims on features, longevity, accuracy and reliability, but just how good are they? Of course, some will come out better than others on all fronts. A good vehicle tracker needs to be fairly compact and sleek in design so that it will fit easily on the underside of a vehicle and not look too much out of place.

Accuracy of GPS is within a matter of metres when the unit have line of sight view of the sky, but when placed underneath a vehicle they will be subject to GPS reflection, which means that GPS signal waves are affected by surrounding buildings and environment. Despite this their accuracy will still generally be within about 25 metres, which is still accurate enough. as regards longevity.

The Longevity of Vehicle Tracking Devices

The best devices will have a two to six-week average deployment capability with battery life information being remotely monitored. Although all GPS tracking devices are affected by variations in temperature and environment, most modern devices will, with regular usage, last many years before replacement is needed. As regards features, you should expect various mapping platforms geo-fence capability, historical logging and route playback onscreen as a minimum requirement.

With many older GPS vehicle trackers still going strong after two years of regular usage, these devices do really prove to be a long-term worthwhile asset and besides, most devices prove themselves beyond all doubt as an excellent information gathering tool and overall investment.

Contact us to discuss our complete range of vehicle tracking devices and to seek the guidance of our expert design and technology departments.