The History of Vehicle Tracking

Vehicle tracking has revolutionised the way that drivers of company vehicles are monitored. It has also helped many companies to save money through fuel savings and by resolving invoice queries, but where did it all begin? In the United States is the simple answer to that question.

The U.S military developed the Global Positioning System (or G.P.S as it is otherwise known) as a means of surveying other countries. However, its uses for everyday life were soon apparent and it was authorised for civilian use a few years later, but with a downgraded accuracy rating. Even decades after its invention, the American military still has control of G.P.S. Europe is now developing their own G.P.S system, which will be called Galileo.

Tracking was applied to vehicles within a short amount of time, and, as with all new technologies, was initially very expensive. Technological advancements have seen vehicle tracking experience dramatic price reductions, and it is now accessible for companies of all sizes.

Companies also no longer have to purchase a vehicle tracking system outright. In order to make tracking affordable through the economic recession, tracking suppliers provided lease and ‘pay as you go’ payment plans. An estimate that is often made by companies selling vehicle tracking is that only one litre of fuel needs to be saved per vehicle, per day, for the tracking system to pay for itself.