Mobile Electronic News

M.E.N takes a look at the offerings from the major tracking products, covering both fleet and personal solutions.
TRACKM8

Trakm8, manufacturers of complete fleet management solutions, have noted the general perception of the business world towards vehicle tracking is still widely filled with caution. This, they believe, has been attributed to tracking companies overselling products that aren’t required to support the business need or not having the technical capability to fulfil the promise made in the initial sale.  Also the financial stability of suppliers and the ‘big brother’ fear that tracking is an invasion of privacy has tainted the image of the industry. Trakm8 have many attributes that counteract these concerns which they claim allows companies to take the decision to use tracking/fleet management confidently and in a manner which suits them.  Upon initial enquiry Trakm8 will undertake a full analysis to identify individual needs drawing from their vast experience of every type of company, from small companies with a simple track and trace requirement to larger companies with full requirements such as evaluating their carbon footprint e.g. utilities.  To aid this product matching Trakm8 has 3 levels of fleet management with clear pricing structures.  All packages can include a variety of available options to suit the actual need and budget. Trakm8 has a well-established in-house support infrastructure to take clients from installation, on-going training through to troubleshooting until the client is completely satisfied. 



On financial grounding Trakm8 are a publicly owned company based in Dorset.  By the use of internal resources and knowledge, Trakm8 have increased their technology and product offering which has proven effective, resulting in company profitability in a difficult financial climate.  Also by their stable and indeed individual approach Trakm8 has won some influential customers such as the utilities company, E.ON. As for the ‘big brother’ fear of tracking ultimately a fleet management solution is implemented for driver safety and vehicle security. It is this message that has to be communicated clearly to employees to understand the benefits.  It is vital that an employer knows his staff are safe on the roads, as monitoring driver behavior can cut down on speeding/harsh acceleration/braking and in some cases prevent accidents from happening, all for the benefit of the driver, the vehicle and the duty of care obligations of the company. Paul Wilson, Sales Director for Trakm8 says “Here at Trakm8 we are committed to matchmaking our products to the needs of the customer, backed up with support that helps the customer every step of the way. We have a strong internal team of individuals who drive our technology and customer care creating our own success by focusing on future needs and exact customer requirements”. If you would like more information on the Trakm8 range of fleet management solutions for any size or type of fleet contact the sales office now.
Contact: Trakm8, 01747 858444 or trakm8.com

SCORPION

For one of the strongest security brands in the industry it is somewhat surprising that Scorpion Automotive has not entered into the Vehicle Tracking market until now. However, this year sees the introduction of Scorpion Track. Over the next couple of months dealer seminars both at their production facilities in Chorley and local to your dealership will be held for you to find out more. The new Thatcham TQA approved Scorpion Track unit will be available from May this year and has been designed and produced in the UK. Scorpion Track has been designed taking into account many dealer, installer and customer comments which has in turn led to a state of the art design as far as size and installation is concerned. Also, on top of this, the back-room support mechanism for both the customer and dealer has been designed and built from scratch. This, using the very latest technology in server design will ensure that they can offer dealers the sleekest and most efficient customer registration, dealer sales, installation and configuration process’s currently available. These factors alone will cut down on your time thus improving efficiency and profitability. However, this along with very keen dealer margins will put Scorpion Track at number one spot when it comes to dealer margin, efficiency and profitability opportunities.  The aim is to become the tracking product that ‘’you want to sell and you want to install’’ by removing all of the historic admin and hold-ups associated with tracking product installation. They are now nearing the end of development but due to manufacturing the product themselves here in the UK they are able to cater for any custom features and functions that dealers or their customers may require. They also welcome any feedback on ideas from dealers, which can be done on the contact details published.
Contact: Scorpion Automotive, 01257 249928 or scorpionauto.com (e-mail feedback to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it )

TRACKSTAR

Once again 2009 saw Trackstar having another successful year which they claim is excellent news for their existing and prospective dealers. The benefits of Trackstar are clearly a reason for this success. For example, if a vehicle has been moved illegally they can help the owner to locate it by using the Global Positioning System (GPS) in their Trackstar unit. Also, if their vehicle moves without the use of its keys, the unit will notify Trackstar and they'll be able to let the customer know and check if there is an explanation for it. If the customer is already aware that their vehicle is missing they must first report the theft to the police and obtain a crime reference number. With that police crime reference number customers can call the dedicated Trackstar Operator (0844 561 999 0) who will activate the GPS tracking function giving the vehicle's exact location every 20 seconds. Some tracking devices rely on Police cars fitted with detection systems to track vehicles, at Trafficmaster they track the vehicle themselves and liaise with the Police, which means not only is the customer more likely to get their vehicle back but there is a much greater chance it won't have been damaged in a high speed chase! If that's not enough, customers can even upgrade their unit to access navigation, and for a limited period Trackstar are giving 3 months of Safe Speed absolutely free. The Trackstar unit will also alert users to zones monitored by fixed safety cameras, ensuring they drive safely and within the legal limits. Better still Trackstar is also endorsed by all Police Authorities, are insurance approved and meets the British Insurance Industry’s Quality Accreditation Process. On top of all this, Trackstar have also recently employed an additional member to the team who is focused on the fleet tracking side of things. He can offer guidance and information to dealers and can also help to win dealers those all important contracts.

Contact: Trafficmaster, 01234 759145 or trafficmaster.co.uk

SMARTRACK

Smartrack have a comprehensive range of tracking products available. Trident it their very latest in internet based stolen vehicle recovery tracker systems, allowing users to view their asset online with twice daily (midday and midnight) updates with standard subscription, but with extra one minute updates available. Essentially Trident is an extension of the Protector+ system, simply adding the online element. That means they both allow users to drive their vehicles as normal. Both systems incorporate a movement sensor which detects unauthorised movement of the vehicle. If the vehicle is illegally moved, a signal is sent to the SmarTrack Secure Control Centre who will in turn call the
owner to confirm a possible theft. If the theft is confirmed,
SmarTrack can begin to track the vehicle live. The system is
supplied with its own back up battery too, so if the vehicle battery is disconnected, SmarTrack will call the user and ask for confirmation that the vehicle is safe. SmarTrack’s Alert 24 Keyguard system builds on the Trident one, but requires a 4 digit PIN to be entered into a remote control before moving the vehicle. In the event of non-entry or an incorrect PIN a signal is sent to the
SmarTrack Secure Control Centre who will in turn call the owner to confirm a possible theft. This is ideal for additional protection against key theft and car-jacking we advise this system for low use sports, classic cars, caravans and motorhomes. SmarTrack also offer some more specialist tracking systems and add-ons: Maxi, Fleet Assist, Blu-ADR, uTrack and MotoTrak. Maxi is for plant, marine and agricultural use, allowing subscribers to view their asset via a secure website. The use of the latest Sirf-Star
GPS antenna and Quad band GSM components means the Maxi
is capable of operating inside buildings. It also has the very
latest in Geo-fence technology, which means users can be alerted
via email or mobile phone if their asset is on the move (ideal if they
don’t want their vehicle to leave a specific area). The Geo-fence feature is also used on MotoTrak, a system designed specifically for motorbikes. Fleet Assist also employs Geo-fence technology and also gives start and stop reports,reverse Geocoding (address of location) email MPH warning, road traffic updates and insurance discounts due to the fact this system is also monitored by the SmarTrack SCC. uTrack is another system that uses can monitor themselves via the internet, and provides excellent security for plant and agricultural vehicles. All of these can also add Blu-ADR, which is Automatic Driver Recognition that helps protect against the increase in key theft burglaries. For more information on any of these products, contact SmarTrack.
Contact: SmarTrack, 0845 833 6971 or smartrack.uk.net

COBRA

Cobra have recently launched their new and unique SCD10 hardware - a GPS/GPRS/GSM device providing a platform for a myriad of location based services, including stolen vehicle tracking and pay as you drive insurance. For tracking installers, key benefits are the compact size (just 72mm x 100mm x 20mm) and the fact that all antennae are integrated within the box. This means that in comparison to other tracking devices, the SCD10 unit is extremely simple to install, with fitting time dramatically reduced by up to 50 percent. The added benefit of much faster GPS lock-on makes commissioning much quicker too. SCD10 is the basis for the new Thatcham TQA accredited CobraTrak First tracking system which replaces CobraTrak Q, whilst retaining all the key features including: movement/tow away alerts, battery disconnect alerts and European tracking across 36 countries as standard.  Customers can upgrade the service to CobraTrak First Mobile at low cost, giving them the ability to request a locate for their vehicle to be sent straight to their mobile or PDA  e.g (Blackberry).
SCD10 is also the technology behind the Coverbox Pay as you Drive Insurance product launched in 2009, aimed at vastly reducing premiums for off peak drivers and targeting mainly 18-23 year olds and the retired market.  The Cobra SCD10 box provides the vehicle usage data that drives Coverbox’s monthly billing, and provides basic theft tracking if the insured vehicle is stolen. Through coverbox.co.uk drivers can obtain quotes from 4 major insurers, with more coming soon, and the service has taken off in a big way, with thousands of policies written since launch.
Contact: Cobra Sales, 01932 772 400 or cobravehiclesecurity.co.uk

TRACKITNOW

Trackitnow are launching what they believe is probably the smallest vehicle tracking device available, measuring only 60mm x 65mm x 14mm. This fully featured device will replace their existing Motion device. It offers dual band modem (900/1800mhz), two digital inputs, two digital outputs, power supply from 10 to 30v DC, external GPS antenna, a motion sensor, low power consumptio, onboard memory for up to 15000 records, a49 channel GPS receiver and turn by turn transmissions (locations up to every 15 seconds). In March 2010, Trackitnow will also be launching the latest version of their ERA software suite, which will offer more features and have a simple to use interface. This will allow users to get a full screen overview of their fleet, let users group vehicles together and display only the shown group on screen (with historical replay available), display historical tracking for a single vehicle and track more than one at any time plus much more. It also sends SMS and E-mail alerts to the user and allows users to send SMS messages to any mobile phone for free, and also to receive them. Additionally it offers on-screen alerts, a full reporting suite and the ability to publish scheduled reports.
Contact: Trackitnow, 0845 4670846 or trackitnow.co.uk

SPOT ON

Spot On tracking system is a web-based monitoring solution for maximising fleet efficiency and productivity. By utilising mobile phone GPRS networks and satellite GPS technology, the system offers fleet managers the convenience of a simple and effective 24/7 vehicle tracking, asset management and security package. Key features include: 24/7 tracking on an unlimited number of vehicles with regular updates of exact location, detailed mapping, street level accuracy within UK & Europe, vehicle Odometer readings and route history report, vehicle and non-powered asset tracking options to help you track stolen assets, vehicle behaviour monitoring, including; out of hours mileage, speeding, excessive driving time, points of interest reports and user-friendly web-based software. All in all it makes for a great all-round tracking product for the fleet customer, and Spot On’s distributor welcome enquiries from any installation engineers who are interested in more information on the benefits.
Contact: Cellular Trade Accessories, 01296 425831 or tradeaccessories.com

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