What are the different elements of a vehicle tracking system?

All vehicle tracking systems include:

-  A vehicle geolocation unit, or “GPS beacon”, or “GPS unit”, or “GPS tracer”, which is the geolocation device strictly speaking,

-  A set of data transmission services,

-  Vehicle tracking software.

Some systems add to this list some modules which make it possible to connect directly to the GPS unit to the vehicle’s onboard computer and connected sensors, in order to measure mechanical values such as oil temperature, engine temperature, etc. These modules can be used to shut down the engine remotely.

 The GPS unit or beacon, placed inside the vehicle, transmits a signal received by the service provider, and then to the user’s computer or tablet on a mapping app.

There are several types of GPS devices depending on the vehicle tracking system:

-  GPS units, as used by most motorists: integrated systems with a display which rely on satellite signals,

-  SIM card/GPRS units: rely on a SIM card, like mobile phones, and connect through their built-in modem.

The choice of vehicle tracking system depends on operations organisation within the company, the need to use a guiding system or not, travelling areas concerned by business trips, especially in terms of network coverage.

The chosen geolocation equipment must be able to transmit location data in any circumstances. If it’s not, results may be skewed. That’s why GPS units are superior vehicle tracking systems.

Compare the proposals of several providers by requesting vehicle tracking system quotes !