We have had numerous questions regarding fob and credit card format tracking technology; such as iTags®, Tile® or tracking credit cards. Whereas the impressive battery life and small nature of the device might be an attractive proposition, the following is why we believe it best suited to tracking your bicycle, wallet or dog, and not your Classic Car.
First a small lesson in how most tracker systems work. Tracking has three separate technologies:
1. The SENSOR technology.
GPS, digital inputs and outputs, analogue inputs. What are these? Simply the sensor which monitors or measures a specific detail in your car. For instance, a GPS receive simply looks up to the sky and listens for minute signals from satellite to triangulate its geolocation.
2. COMMUNICATIONS Technology
Once the sensor receives its data (e.g. the GPS receiver has a latitude and longitudinal location), it needs to send the information over a communications network to some clever infrastructure.
3. INFRASTRUCTURE. This is the cloud-based technology which receives the information and acts upon it in an according and timely fashion. For example, the received latitude and longitudinal location data is interpreted onto a digital map and displayed in real-time on an app.
By comparison
Classic Tracker | Fob | |
SENSOR | Our trackers contain highly configurable sensor technology, configured to operate on a given set of critically timed events. e.g., a car leaves a known location without its ignition on, it reports urgently (towing ALERT). Our trackers feature digitally controlled outputs enabling the user to remotely kill the engine during a theft situation. We also offer the ability to sense when a door is opened, exploiting the available spare digital inputs on the tracker. | Only have GPS which generically tracks whatever the fob is hidden within. They have no technology to enable engine kill, or intrusion detection as they are not physically connected to your car. |
COMMUNICATIONS | Our trackers use a multi-operator global SIM card coupled with combined 2,3 & 4G. This means the tracker will look to connect to any available 2,3 or 4G signal with any operator in any given global location. | The GPS data is passed to the operators infrastructure over a Bluetooth mesh network. The elaborate, the X&Y location is sent to a passing smart-phone, unbeknown to that passing person (as they have accepted Ts&Cs which allow Apple® etc to pass this). Then that same data gets passed to another user using their Bluetooth. Eventually somebody with the X&Y location data from your fob tracker walks past your mobile phone and your app is able to report the last known location (which can be hours, days, weeks old). The problem is that it relies on individuals having the ‘correct’ technology and be near your tracker. e.g. Apple® requires a certain level of iOS for this to operate. Obviously if your car is parked remotely where nobody ever walks past, then it will never be updated in the Bluetooth mesh network. |
INFRASTRUCTURE | Our infrastructure is designed to respond to critical events in seconds. E.g. If a car is towed away, the owner should receive an alert from our infrastructure almost immediately. | The app presented by Apple® or Tile® rarely have critically timed alerts. They certainly have no technology to enable engine kill, or intrusion detection. |
Moreover, will Apple® or Tile® or whichever off-shore company who sold you the fob tracker call the Police to assist the immediate recover of your Classic Car?
Our advice is to use fob trackers in addition to a Classic Tracker. Allow the thief to easily find the fob (e.g. placed in a glove box), so they believe this is the ‘only’ tracker in the car.
Classic Tracker is a distinct service enabled by technology which resides in your tracker. Fob trackers are a technology-only solution which on the surface appear to offer very cost-efficient tracking. Whether or not you choose to believe, that age-old adage still stands true “You get’s what you pays for.“
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