Anyone out there who loves gadgets and really wants to know about their own driving style should install a GPS vehicle tracking device in to their car or truck. By doing this you will be able to collect data on what you really do when you are driving around.
The GPS tracker system will record your every move as you navigate the streets and accelerate, slow down or brake. Your speed, direction of travel and even altitude as you drive up and down hills can be stored for later analysis.
You may also have the benefit of a reduced insurance premium if you install a tracking device in your vehicle, but check with your insurance company first as they may require you to install a particular make or standard of device or system.
Another benefit will be available to you when it comes around to that wonderful time of the year when you have to do your tax returns. Your GPS device will record the exact mileage that you have covered so that you never have to take down readings from the odometer ever again.
Using the web based interface supplied with the system, which you will be able to access over the internet via your personal computer or laptop, you will be able to see all the data that has been recorded for all the journeys that you made with the GPS tracking device installed in the vehicle and switched on.
You will also get detailed reports that analyze the recorded data and display summary information in a format which is easy to understand and which will show you exactly how you have driven the vehicle.
Your particular driving style will be there in black and white for you to study. You might be quite surprised at what you find. You may think you never break the speed limit but the results might just prove otherwise.
Everything you do when driving will be documented in detail including instances of hard braking and extreme acceleration which might suggest to you that you are not such a smooth driver as you might have thought. You will also get to find out your maximum speeds and average speed figures for different journeys.
Whether all this makes a difference to your driving style after seeing the results will depend on you alone, but hopefully if you are doing things that you think you shouldn’t be then it will an eye opener that could trigger you into taking action.
Whatever happens and whatever results you see in the reports you will become more aware of your own driving and this is definitely a good thing for us al. Also if your driving is somewhat on the bad side then there is at least some hope that you might slow down which can’t be a bad thing.
The web based monitoring means you will be able to access your reports whenever you want and wherever you happen to be so long as you have a connection to the internet from a computer.
A GPS vehicle tracking system can therefore have many additional benefits other than the vehicle location and tracking functionality for which it was originally designed.
As a bonus you can also lower your insurance premiums and get to see how good a driver you really are.
By: Dave Joa
Posts Tagged ‘Personal Computer’
GPS Vehicle Tracking Can Tell You How You Drive
February 7th, 2010Truck and Car GPS Tracking
November 15th, 2009
New miniature GPS technology has made GPS Tracking available to just about anyone. Many people are interested in vehicle or car GPS tracking. Fleet vehicle managers are saving there respective companies thousands of dollars each day with this new technology. In addition private citizens are also using the technology to keep track of there family members and their valuable assets. The cost of a GPS auto tracker has dropped over the last year. However the new smaller portable or personalized units are still relatively expensive.
There are two technologies to choose from when looking to purchase a GPS tracking device. The older logger unit is not only less expensive to purchase but it does not rely on an expensive subscription with a GPS tracking company. These devices are placed in the target vehicle during the period that you want to track then retrieved. The unit then is attached to a personal computer where the tracking information is downloaded into the logger’s software package for viewing. Logger GPS tracking devices have the ability to be very small and discreet. The major drawback of a using a logger is that all the information is relatively stale or historic in nature. Never the less they are very effective vehicle or car GPS tracking devices.
Real time GPS tracking devices just as their name implies provide tracking information that is relatively current in nature. These GPS tracking devices are larger than loggers due to the fact that they must have a transmitter to upload the tracking information to a GPS tracking service provider. The most common method of uploading the vehicle or car GPS tracking data is through existing cell phone technology. The service company will make a query of the GPS auto tracker on a predetermined time frequency and then display it on their website. These tracking service providers charge you a month fee for this service. The more frequently they download the GPS information to their website for your use the more expensive the service becomes. The current standard for tracking updates is about 5 minutes between tracking updates. In many cases you can save a lot of money by selecting longer periods between downloads.
Real time GPS devices are relatively more expensive when compared to loggers. The smallest portable units can cost as much as $1200.00 while standard vehicle or car tracking devices that are permanently installed can cost less than $300.00. It should be remembered that a quality unit is will be more expensive but it will also be more dependable over time. Delivery and fleet vehicles by their nature are not always easy on electronic systems. In other words when it comes to purchasing a GPS auto tracker cheaper is not always better.
By: Jim Kesel
How To Detect GPS Tracking Units
November 1st, 2009
The new GPS auto tracker technology allows just about anyone to track anyone else. In addition almost all new cell phones have GPS tracking capabilities built in to them. Some even have the ability to transmit location information even with the battery removed. All of which make you wonder what happened to personal privacy. The answer is that there really is no privacy. Granted there are legal restrictions as to how and when you can use the new tracking technology however detecting GPS tracking units can sometimes be difficult.
There are basically two types of GPS tracking device technology available to the public. The simplest is called a passive or logger tracking device. This device is also the most difficult to detect and defend against. These devices can be as small as a matchbook and can be hidden just about anywhere. They are attached to a vehicle or individual and after a specific amount of time they must be retrieved. After retrieval the device is usually attached to a personal computer and the information is downloaded into a data base that is provided by the device manufacture.
Probably the best defense against passive/logger tracking devices comes in the form of a GPS blocker. These small units normally plug into your automobiles cigarette lighter port and provide protection for about 30 feet in any direction. Small handheld units are also available that run on batteries that also provide short range blocking. These units can range in price from $200 to $850.
The second type of GPS auto tracker or personal GPS tracking units are called real time tracking devices. These units do just as the name implies, provide current real time location information on the individual or vehicle that is being tracked. This accomplished through the use of cell phone technology. Recent technology improvements have greatly reduced the size and reliability of these tracking devices. You can purchase a battery operated unit the size of a small cell phone that will provide tracking information for up to a week before the battery requires charging. More commonly these units are attached to a vehicle and use the vehicles power supply to provide power to the tracking unit.
Real time tracking devices generally require the user to contract with a GPS tracking service company. These companies frequently provide the tracking devices and the software necessary to track the device on your personal computer. Depending on the contract the information is uploaded to you at time specific intervals. The most common information uploads range from 5 to 10 minutes.
Defending against this type of tracking device is relatively easy with a combination cell phone/GPS blocking device. These units range in cost from $300 to more than $1000. Of course either a cell phone or a GPS blocking device may accomplish the same affect. In addition if you feel that you are being tracked illegally you can contact your local law enforcement agency and let them do a scan of the vehicle or personal effects in question. Many small law enforcement agencies do not have this capability and in that case you have the option to purchase a scanning unit and do the scan yourself.
A word to the wise if you are involved in a criminal enterprise. Much of what we have outlined here will not prevent US government agencies from tracking you and your vehicles.
In most cases it is illegal to track just about anyone without their permission. However given the fact that is so hard to detect many tracking devices it is likely that illegal GPS auto tracker and personal tracking device technology will continue to be used.
By: Jim Kesel
