Smart & Connected Life Connected Car Tech 41 41 people found this article helpful What Is Vehicle Tracking? by Jeremy Laukkonen Writer Jeremy Laukkonen is tech writer and the creator of a popular blog and video game startup. He also ghostwrites articles for numerous major trade publications. our editorial process Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Jeremy Laukkonen Updated on July 18, 2019 Dorling Kindersley / Getty Images Connected Car Tech Android Auto Apple CarPlay Navigation Tweet Share Email Vehicle tracking systems use a combination of technologies to keep real-time tabs on the position of a vehicle or to construct a history of where a vehicle has been. These systems are used in a variety of industries, and they also a key part of most stolen vehicle recovery strategies. Most vehicle tracking systems use GPS technology, and some also make use of cellular or radio transmitters. Types of Vehicle Tracking There are two types of vehicle tracking, each of which is useful in specific situations. Passive: The simplest vehicle tracking systems are passive in nature. These trackers typically use a GPS device to record the position of a vehicle over time. When the tracker is removed, the data can be transferred to a computer and analyzed. These tracking systems are useful for fleet management, but they also have other applications.Active: More complex tracking systems transmit the location of a vehicle in real-time. For fleet management and dispatch purposes, this data is typically monitored from a central location. This type of system can also be used for stolen vehicle recovery. Commercially Available Stolen-Vehicle Recovery Systems There are a number of aftermarket options, including: LoJackMobile IQSmart TrackerVectorTrakZoombak Most of those systems use a GPS device coupled with a cellular transmitter. In addition to the commercially available systems, it’s also possible to build a makeshift GPS tracking device with a cellular phone. However, all GPS- and cellular-based trackers can fail if the vehicle is parked in a building or driven to an area that lacks cell towers. LoJack is an older system that relies on radio transmissions that police cars can pick up with specialized antennas. Aside from the aftermarket options, most of the OEMs offer some type of stolen-vehicle recovery system. These systems are also based on GPS data and transmit the location of the vehicle using a cellular data connection. Some of the OEM options include: GM’s OnStarBMW AssistToyota Safety ConnectLexus EnformMercedes-Benz TeleAidMopar EVTS Usage Outside Stolen Vehicle Recovery A variety of industries use vehicle tracking systems for purposes other than stolen vehicle recovery. Some of the most common uses include: Fleet managementTracking various assetsManagement of service personnelMobile salesSurveillance Was this page helpful? Thanks for letting us know! Get the Latest Tech News Delivered Every Day Email Address Sign up There was an error. Please try again. You're in! Thanks for signing up. There was an error. Please try again. Thank you for signing up. Tell us why! Other Not enough details Hard to understand Submit