Vehicle Tracking

GPS vehicle tracking systems have a variety of uses and applications. These devices tend to be classed as either “Past Track” or “Real Time” GPS car tracking systems. Essentially, the difference lies in the accessibility and availability of the data from the tracking device. Past Track devices store the data about a vehicle’s direction, distance, speed, length of stops etc to the flash memory that can be downloaded from the device to a computer upon retrieval. Advancements in Past Track devices now use integrated Bluetooth in which the data is wirelessly transfered to a nearby computer without the need to retrieve the unit.

Real Time vehicle tracking allows you to monitor and track a vehicles movements live by uploading data to a secure server which can be accessed by computer, PDA or mobile phone by authorised individuals. Real Time tracking is much more detailed and will display full colour mapping to street level as the vehicle moves around.

Businesses use both types of tracking devices to track their fleets ensuring that their vehicles are taking the shortest route between two points, thus saving fuel costs and improving service. Many systems allow users to enter a destination address, find the closest vehicle to that address and plot the fastest and shortest route. Companies with employee take-home vehicles can also cut down on unauthorised use by using either type of vehicle tracking device.

If the car tracking device is being used to track the movements of a spouse suspected of infidelity for example, a Past Track GPS vehicle tracking device can be hidden in the car and then retrieved and plugged into a computer’s USB port for reading its logged data. A Real Time tracker can be used to monitor such movements as the action happens so you are able to track every turn, stop, start, and visually see the street and door number. Real Time trackers are so advanced these days that battery life can exceed many weeks and even months before a recharge is required.

If you have installed a system to deter theft and improve the chances of recovering your stolen car, then a Past track device is not the solution because the tracker is stolen along with the car! Real Time vehicle tracking systems like the GPS Maptracker or the GPS ReX8 Mag Mount are the superior choice as you need to know where your stolen car is the moment it is taken, and you can then direct the Police with incredible detail or give them tempory access to your tracking console in order for them to act more efficiently.

Some products are available on a PAYG basis meaning you control your own tracking costs and top-up only when needed but with some companies now offering "always active" unlimited tracking it actually works out much cheaper in the long run to take this option.

GPS vehicle tracking systems can also be invaluable general motoring aids. Several motorists in the UK and USA have used the data gathered by installed GPS car tracking devices to prove that their vehicle was travelling at a drastically different speed than that reported by police radar guns. One court case using vehicle tracking data enabled a motorist to demonstrate that he was travelling at 45mph (within the speed limit) and not the 62 mph the police officer noted on the citation.

With the increasing popularity of GPS vehicle tracking devices there may be a growing question as to their legality. Provided you install a tracker whether that be a wired or magnetic device on a vehicle that you own for the purposes of theft deterrence and recovery, there is no issue at all. Equally, you may install or attach a tracking device to any vehicle or asset to monitor its mileage, or maybe track its movements for the safety of your employees.

It is advised to best inform the user of any vehicle, be that your company car, fleet vehicle, or valuable asset that a tracking device is installed, however there is no legal requirement of law to do this.

In covert applications, in cases where spouse infidelity is suspected for example, or you may be a private investigator tracking the movements of serious criminals then this may be seen as an invasion of privacy, but laws in the UK are less proscriptive than in the USA when it comes to the invasion of privacy. However, even in the USA, the Supreme Court ruled that when you drive on a public street you do not have a reasonable expectation of privacy.

Generally, there does not appear to be a problem with using a vehicle tracking device, even in a covert way, providing you have installed the device in a public place and not on an individuals property and didn’t commit a crime by installing it (e.g. breaking into the car, tapping into the car's power supply, altering the car's driving characteristics, etc.). So, installing a vehicle tracking system in your teenage son’s car or placing a tracking device in your child's school bag do not seem to violate any law in the UK.

Evidence obtained from such covert surveillance may well be admissible in court, but its relative weight and power will most likely be decided by individual judges. On its own, it is most likely to be considered circumstantial, but as supporting and corroborative evidence, it could prove very persuasive.