Vehicle security is a big concern for all vehicle owners. Tracking vehicles is a big challenge for logistics companies due to increased road traffic, fuel cost, and labor charges. They are very much in need of a smart solution. Thanks to modern technology, it is now possible to track and monitor vehicles in real-time and check the history of their movements.
A vehicle tracking system is one of the most significant technological advancements in security, allowing the owner to virtually monitor his vehicle at any time and from any location around the world. It is a security and fleet management solution that uses various methods, such as GPS and other navigation systems that operate via satellite and ground-based stations to determine the location of a vehicle.
GPS technology is used in modern vehicle tracking systems to monitor and locate vehicles anywhere on the planet. The vehicle tracking system, installed inside a car, provides accurate real-time location information and data that can be saved and downloaded to a computer for later analysis.
These are essential devices for tracking vehicles at any time for theft prevention and recovery of the stolen car. They come with modern hardware and software components that help track and locate automobiles both online and offline. The tracking hardware is hidden inside the vehicle, so it cannot be seen from the outside. As a result, it functions as a covert unit that sends coordinates to the monitoring center regularly.
What is inside a vehicle tracking system?
A tracking system comprises three parts: vehicle unit, fixed based station, and database with the software system.
The vehicle unit contains the Arduino hardware, GPS, and GSM modem, all kept inside the vehicle to be tracked. With the help of a GPS antenna, the unit, which is based on a modem, receives signals from the satellite. The data is then converted and sent via SMS and a mobile application called “VTS,” which is synchronized with the web page and to a server where it can be displayed on digital mapping.
A fixed-based station has a wireless network system that receives and sends data to the data center. The base station has software and a map that can be used to locate the vehicle. Every city’s maps are available in the base station’s built-in Web server.
The coordinates of each visiting point are saved in the database and can later be displayed on a screen using Google maps, thanks to a database and software. However, to see where the vehicle has been, the user must first connect to the webserver.
The monitoring center software provides the vehicle owner with an electronic map of the vehicle’s location. The user can connect to the server with any browser and track the targeted vehicle on Google Maps. As a result, it eliminates the need for the user to call the driver to find out where the vehicle is because it is now possible to track the vehicle online.
When a vehicle is stolen, the tracking unit’s location information can be used to locate the vehicle, and the coordinates can be sent to the police for further action. Police can simply follow the tracking system’s signal to find the stolen vehicle.
A vehicle tracking system can be used as an addition to or replacement for a traditional car alarm when used as a security system. Some vehicle tracking systems allow you to remotely control the vehicle, such as shutting down doors or engines in an emergency. Vehicle tracking systems can now detect unauthorized vehicle movements and alert the owner due to technological advancements. It gives a competitive advantage over other technology for the same purpose.
Limitations
An in-vehicle tracking device or unit working along with a central server and software, which let the user or owner of a car know the whereabouts of his vehicle, surely comes with several benefits. There are, however, some drawbacks to using vehicle tracking devices. Due to poor weather conditions, GPS often takes a long time to connect to the network. A clear sky is required for the GPS to function properly. It is unlikely to work indoor or may even have a problem outside where it has no clear path of transmitting to and receiving the signal from satellites. Therefore, obstacles like tall buildings or such infrastructure, which block the view of the sky, often cause a multipath error to the receiving signal of the GPS receiver. As a result, location seems to jump from one place to another leading to inaccurate results. Thus, incorrect latitude and longitude values are sent to the server for displaying in the Google map.
Despite these disadvantages, due to the real-time tracking facility, vehicle tracking systems have become increasingly popular among owners of vehicles as they can monitor their vehicles continuously. It is a necessity, not a luxury!
