The short version
A vehicle tracking system has three parts: a tracker in the vehicle, a mobile connection and a platform you log in to. The tracker receives signals from GPS satellites and uses them to work out its own position. It then sends that position over the mobile network, using a SIM card, to the platform, where it appears on a map. The satellites only broadcast signals. They do not know your vehicle exists.
The three parts
- The tracker. A small device wired into the vehicle, plugged in or battery powered. It contains a GPS receiver and a modem. See self-install and hardwired options.
- The mobile connection. A SIM in the tracker carries each position report to the platform. Without one the tracker can still find its position but cannot tell you. A multi-network SIM can use whichever network has coverage.
- The platform. The software behind the live map, journey history, alerts and reports, available on desktop and mobile. See fleet tracking.
Does GPS tracking need internet?
Finding the position does not need the internet or a mobile signal, because it comes from satellites. Reporting the position does, because the tracker has to send it to you. If a vehicle drives through an area with no mobile coverage, the live map cannot update until signal returns. Some trackers store positions and send them later, so ask your supplier how a unit behaves in poor coverage.
How accurate is it?
The official GPS website says GPS-enabled smartphones are typically accurate to within about 5 metres (4.9 m) under open sky, and that accuracy gets worse near buildings, bridges and trees (gps.gov). A tracker fitted inside a vehicle can be affected by where it is hidden and by what is around the vehicle. Signals can be weakened or blocked in underground car parks and covered areas, and the platform will then show the last position it received.
How often does it report?
Trackers report at set intervals, and often more frequently while the vehicle is moving. More frequent reports give a more detailed route but use more mobile data and, for battery-powered units, more battery. See tracker battery life.
GPS trackers and Bluetooth tags
Bluetooth tags do not use GPS to report their own position. They rely on other people’s phones passing nearby to relay a location, so they work well in busy places and poorly on a quiet rural road. They are not designed for fleet tracking. Phone-based tracking is a different approach again: Trackmatic Driver uses the driver’s phone, while an installed tracker remains the right tool for round-the-clock tracking and stolen vehicle recovery.
What you see on the platform
Live locations, journey history and replay, and alerts such as movement, ignition and geofence alerts where the selected device supports them. Reporting options depend on the equipment you choose. To see what would suit your vehicles, contact Trackmatic.
Frequently asked questions
How does a GPS vehicle tracker know where it is?
It has a GPS receiver that picks up signals from satellites and calculates its own position. The satellites do not track the vehicle.
Does a GPS tracker need a SIM card?
To send its position to you, yes. A tracker without a connection can store positions but cannot show a live location.
How accurate is GPS vehicle tracking?
GPS-enabled smartphones are typically accurate to within about 5 metres under open sky, according to gps.gov, and accuracy is worse near buildings, bridges and trees. A vehicle tracker can also be affected by where it is fitted.
Is a Bluetooth tag the same as a GPS tracker?
No. Bluetooth tags rely on nearby phones to relay a location rather than reporting a GPS position over their own mobile connection, so they are unreliable for vehicles.
Which tracker suits your vehicles?
Tell us what you operate and we will recommend a suitable tracker and setup.
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