Despite -or because of - the increasingly high-tech cars currently sold on the market, auto theft remains a serious threat to property. As per data from the Insurance Information Institute (III), one car was stolen every 41 seconds in 2017. The financial loss caused by car thieves that year was around $ billion. And that in the U.S. alone.
Despite law enforcement agencies in various states claiming a high recovery rate for stolen cars, studies have shown that on average about half of them are never recovered. And one reason for this is the impossibility to track the vehicle.
Modern-day cars, regardless of their make, usually do not come with a GPS tracker included, mostly because of the personal privacy protection laws. But there is a series of companies that offer their assistance in this field, combining vehicle tracking with emergency services response and other services, at a cost.
Separately, GPS tracking hardware is aplenty in online stores, allowing easy installation and use. These systems offer the possibility always to know the location of the car, no matter who drives it. Using the tracker itself, an app of some sort and a subscription, these tools can help save time and money whenever the car is stolen or can be used to know the whereabouts, speed, and direction of a vehicle driven by a teen.
So, if you're in the market for a relatively cheap and easy to use tracking solution for your car, below is a list of 5 such technologies currently available on Amazon.
Be warned, though. Some, if not all of these systems, can be used to track the whereabouts of people as well, and in most cases that is illegal. We recommend thus using these devices only in time of need, only to track your car and other belongings, and only after you verify if it's legal to use them in your state.
There are mainly two types of GPS trackers for cars: loggers and pushers.
The GPS loggers, also known as passive GPS, is only used to store the movement of the car. This system does not send the information anywhere, so it's useless if a car is stolen.
On the other hand, GPS pushers, or active GPS both determine the location and also send it to a server somewhere to read in real-time or later. Most of the time, pushers need a subscription to work.
Spytec STI GL300MA (ad) – because it works on a battery (the battery needs to be recharged every couple of weeks or so)) instead of taking its power from the car itself, the Spytec STI GL300MA can be used to track not only vehicles but also "teens, spouses, pets, seniors, luggage." As said, we only recommend its use on personal objects, not on people.
This device is described as having near-perfect 4G coverage and can locate the car with "military precision". Because the case it is enclosed in is waterproof and magnetic, it can be fitted anywhere on or in the vehicle.
The system tracks the car at all times and sends info about its position to a server every 5 seconds. That info can be read from any computer, tablet, or smartphone running the dedicated SpyTecGPS App.
The app allows for a series of settings to be chosen, including the selection of a perimeter. Once the car exits that perimeter, an alert is issued to the owner. One year worth of locations can be stored, based on which personalized reports can be released.
The Spytec STI GL300MA sells for $49,95 on Amazon, and there is a $24.95 one-time fee for the tracking service.
MOTOsafety 4G (ad) – The MOTOsafety tracker is an OBD-based device, meaning it needs to be plugged into the OBDII port of the car to work. It uses a 4G connection and Google Maps to record and report the location of the car.
The system can be used to track the whereabouts of a car just like any other GPS, but it comes with a wealth of features that make it ideal for teen monitoring.
It allows geofencing, one can set curfew hours (in both cases notifications are sent if the parameters set are not met), and it even issues a daily driver report card, showing for instance how many times speeding and accelerating alerts were issued.
The system's manufacturer says its customers "received up to 30% discount on insurance rates by sharing their report cards with their providers."
The MOTOsafety 4G system sells on Amazon for $47. You also need a $19.99/month subscription for the tool to work.
Amcrest (ad)- For those who fear a 4G connection is not always available to allow the tracker to work, the Amcrest might be the perfect solution. It works on a 2G connection, and it relies on Google Maps to update the vehicle's location every five seconds.
The tracker can be controlled through a web-based app or the specially created one for iOS and Android. The system allows geo-fencing, smart alerts, and reports.
The Armcrest does not need the OBD connection to work, as it is powered by a battery that lasts for 3 days with 5 seconds updates, or up to eight days with 30-seconds updates.
The Armcrest tracker sells for $45 on Amazon, but there's also a 4G variant of it that is cheaper, at $39.99. For both of them, a $19.99 subscription is required.
Bouncie (ad) - another OBD-based tracker, the Bouncie comes with all the features the rest of the trackers in our list have, but adds a few extras.
Because it needs to be plugged into the car's OBD port, it is capable of learning things about the vehicle, and will notify the owner "when something needs your attention."
Notifications, alerts, geo-fencing and minute-by-minute location reporting via 3G can all be yours for $67.00, on top of which you need to add the $8 per month subscription.
Optimus 2.0 (ad) - alerts, geofencing, and driving reports can be provided by the Optimus 2.0 as well. The tracker is battery-based, and one charge will last about two weeks or so, provided location data isn't generated by the second.
The tracker comes with its own iPhone and Android app, as well as with SIM card and data plan included for the American customers.
The Optimus sells for $59,95 on Amazon, not including the $19.95 per month subscription.
Editor's note:
Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links, and we may receive a commission when you buy one of these products. Nevertheless, this does not impact our choice of products or the information provided here.
Daniel loves writing (or so he claims), and he uses this skill to offer readers a "behind the scenes" look at the automotive industry. He also enjoys talking about space exploration and robots, because in his view the only way forward for humanity is away from this planet, in metal bodies. Full profile
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