What is vehicle tracking?

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What is vehicle tracking?

Vehicle tracking is widely used by businesses that use vehicles in their day-to-day operations. Many varieties of vehicle tracking technology are now available, with the growth of the industry bringing new features and greater accessibility.

Early forms of vehicle tracking worked using radios and phones, and were inherently unreliable, labour-intensive, and inaccurate. The technology of today has moved on to offer more features, greater accuracy, and automation.

Are you interested in vehicle tracking for your business or looking to upgrade your existing system? In this article, we take a look at what vehicle tracking is, what it can offer modern businesses, and how to choose a system that’s suited to your organisation and vehicle fleet.

What is vehicle tracking?

Any technology that is used to monitor vehicle location is technically a type of vehicle tracking system. The most basic systems do just this, but more advanced systems also offer the ability to track a range of other important vehicle metrics.

Modern vehicle tracking used GPS technology to provide very accurate, real-time information about the location of vehicles, anywhere in the world. These can range from mobile apps that use a phone’s in-built GPS capabilities, all the way up to integrated devices that are installed directly into a vehicle’s onboard computer. These integrated devices are often able to monitor and transmit detailed data about the vehicle’s use and health, not just location.

What industries use vehicle tracking?

Any organisation that uses vehicles and has an interest in where they are (as well as other metrics) can benefit from vehicle tracking devices and software. Some industries that rely heavily on vehicle tracking include, but are not limited to:

• Healthcare
• Transport
• Logistics
• Retail
• Construction

Vehicle tracking key features

The core purpose of vehicle tracking devices and software almost always relates to location, provided by GPS technology. Knowing where your vehicles are at any given time has all kinds of benefits for logistics management, efficiency, and safety.

But modern vehicle tracking systems may go beyond providing location data and offer a range of features allowing you to track other key metrics, such as:

• Engine faults
• Driving habits (speed, acceleration, braking, idling, and so on)
• Historic location data
• Collision data
• Battery use and performance

For these more advanced features, an in-vehicle device is required. These devices can either be plugged in or integrated directly into a vehicle’s internal computer, from where they can transmit live information to anywhere in the world.

Vehicle tracking benefits

More efficient driving

By monitoring the routes taken by your vehicles, live location, and driving habits (such as idling, braking, and fuel consumption), vehicles tracking systems help you eliminate wasteful driving habits and reduce fuel use. Small improvements across your entire fleet can result in a significant reduction in fuel use, saving you money and reducing the environmental impact of your business.

Safer driving habits

One of the biggest concerns for any company with a fleet of vehicles will always be driver safety and avoiding accidents. By tracking current and historic driving data, vehicle tracking systems can help to identify dangerous routes and unsafe driving habits. This information can be used to promote safer driving habits and reduce your accident rate.

Cheaper vehicle insurance

Vehicle insurance is a large expense, but a vital part of running a business that uses vehicles. But while it is an unavoidable expense, the cost of insurance can be reduced by investing in certain vehicle tracking systems.

Insurance companies recognise the safety benefits and lower maintenance costs associated with using vehicle tracking technology, so reduce premiums as a result. Some systems can cut your insurance premiums by as much as 50%.

Improved fleet utilisation

Using your fleet efficiently If a vehicle breaks down unexpectedly, vehicle tracking can help you quickly respond by deploying a nearby vehicle. If an urgent order comes through, you can redirect available vehicles to fulfill it in a matter of seconds. This improved responsiveness can save your teams time and ensure your operations run smoothly, even when faced with unexpected challenges.

Simplified fleet management

Coordinating an entire fleet of vehicles across a large geographical area, responding to issues as they arise, and fulfilling scheduling requirements efficiently can be extremely challenging. The larger your fleet, the more resources you need to dedicate to fleet management, and it becomes increasingly difficult to use vehicles efficiently.

Modern vehicle tracking makes fleet management simple, allowing you to monitor and coordinate fleet movements from a central location, in real-time.

Trakm8: industry-leading vehicle tracking

Trakm8 provides industry-leading vehicle tracking technology to businesses of all sizes from a diverse range of industries. Our clients include companies with thousands of vehicles, such as the AA, Autoglass, and Iceland Foods, all the way down to independent operators with single-figure fleets.

Regardless of your fleet size and tracking needs, we have a solution for you. The vast majority of our devices are designed and manufactured at our specialised UK-based facility in Coleshill, Birmingham.

Get in touch today to learn more about vehicle tracking, how it can benefit your business, and to find a system that meets your business’ needs and budget.