17-10-2017, 11:57 AM
A vehicle tracking system combines the use of automatic vehicle location in individual vehicles with software that collects these fleet data for a complete picture of vehicle locations. Modern vehicle tracking systems often use GPS or GLONASS technology to locate the vehicle, but other types of automatic vehicle tracking technology can also be used. Vehicle information can be viewed on electronic maps through the Internet or specialized software. Urban public transit authorities are an increasingly common user of vehicle tracking systems, particularly in large cities.
There are several types of vehicle tracking devices. They are usually classified as "passive" and "active." "Passive" devices store the GPS location, speed, address, and sometimes an activation event, such as the activation / deactivation of the key, the door open / closed. Once the vehicle returns to a predetermined point, the device is removed and the data is downloaded to a computer for evaluation. Passive systems include the type of automatic download that transfers data through wireless download. "Active" devices also collect the same information but generally transmit the data almost in real time through cellular or satellite networks to a computer or data center for evaluation.
Many modern vehicle tracking devices combine both active and passive tracking capabilities: when a cellular network is available and a tracking device is connected, it transmits data to a server; when a network is unavailable, the device stores the data in the internal memory and then the stored data is transmitted to the server when the network becomes available again.
Historically, vehicle tracking has been achieved by installing a box in the vehicle, either self-powered with a battery or wired in the vehicle's power system. To locate and track detailed vehicles, this remains the predominant method; however, many companies are increasingly interested in new mobile phone technologies that provide tracking of multiple entities such as a seller and their vehicle. These systems also provide call tracking, text, web usage and generally offer a wider range of options.
