The Different Types of Car Trackers Explained

There are many different kinds of vehicle trackers on the market right now with significant differences in cost so it can be mind-boggling knowing which type to choose or even where to start.

Here at FitMyTracker we believe it is just common sense to fit a tracker to your car. A tracker can monitor and keep your car safe wherever you leave it so you can relax knowing your vehicle has protection from theft at all times. Plus, having a tracker fitted to your car, should the worst happen and the car does get stolen, you have peace of mind knowing it will be quickly recovered.

So read on for a brief guide to the different types of car trackers.

With or Without Subscription

Most trackers come with subscriptions attached, meaning that if you want to maintain the fullest protections offered by the tracker, you have to pay an annual amount for this.  This gets you access to 24/7 monitoring at a control centre which issues alerts if your car is moved or interfered with. In some cases, a subscription will also include an alert to the police. Real-time updates on the car’s location provide you or the police the best chance of quickly finding and recovering your car.

A tracker without a subscription leaves the owner responsible for monitoring and locating the car should it be stolen. A non-subscription tracker may not lower your insurance premium.

Look for Thatcham Approval Rating

Different trackers work on different technology but most utilise GPS, which, like a sat nav, uses satellites to pinpoint the location of a vehicle wherever it is in the world. The best ones also use GPRS, which enables video calling, SMS and email etc for communication between you, the tracker and the monitoring centre. GSM relates to network switching. LBS enables mobile geographical location tracking. Some use only the VHF radio network, but this system is very useful if a vehicle is stored in a container or underground car park, for instance, as a VHF signal can penetrate metal, brick or concrete without jamming or dropping out. Some people believe that the VHF signal is more reliable than GPS. However, it only triggers when the vehicle is stolen, whereas GPS is always active.

Whatever you decide on, always look for the Thatcham approval rating. Thatcham have been at the forefront of vehicle security research since 1969, so by seeking out a tracker which has a Thatcham rating, typically S5, S6 or S7, you know this represents a high-security level.

If you’d like to speak to us about what tracker would best fit your needs, why not get in touch? We’d be happy to help you protect your vehicle the best way you can.