HOW: Track stolen car via GPS? Possible?

SuperBaby · 01-22-06, 10:24 AM

I have not used GPS before. I wonder if it is possible to install a device (hidden) in the car. When the car is stolen, I can track it via GPS.

Is that possible?

mat.larsen · 01-22-06, 10:29 AM

Its possible, but there are many ways to do it, many problems doing it and can be very costly.

Option 1) Use GPRS. You could keep a constant GPRS connection going through your phone alongside GPS and get some sort of program that can e-mail you or access remotely. You have to think about the cost of this, and how you will power the device and it can go out of range

Option 2) Use WiFi. Like above, but there not as many wifi points and some you have to go through a silly web interface and pay for it.

Best bet is just to tell the police if your car has been nicked. There may be pre-buy systems that can track cars using GPS, but I cant think of a cheap or easy way to do it with a PDA

Howard2k · 01-22-06, 10:36 AM

The main issue is that a GPS listens to the signals from the satellites to know where it is, but it never sends anything back to the satellite, so the satellite doesn't know where your GPS is.

So if your GPS is in your car and you car gets stolen then your GPS will know exactly where it is, it just has no way of telling you.

As Matthew says, there are systems that you can purchase that will overcome this shortcoming and use cellular networks etc. to transmit the GPS data. They are probably not that expensive these days and if I had a car that I was THAT worried about (and my car is traditionally in the top 4 most stolen cars in recent years, including a stint at number 1) then I would pay the money and get a proper system rather than trying to throw something together myself.

01-22-06, 10:39 AM

Can't something like onstar or lowjack track down your car?

mcsales · 01-22-06, 10:57 AM

This doesn't use ppc but, http://www.drdetailshop.com/v200.htm.

DudeZXT · 01-22-06, 10:15 PM

Cops always use GPS tracking devices on people's vehicles on shows like Closed Case Files...

Don't Panic! · 01-22-06, 10:21 PM

IF! you'd already signed up for 3D GPS, and IF! you left your Ax on in the car tethered to a bluetooth GPS, And IF! you had access to a internet computer when someone stole it.. Then you could do it now.

Don't Panic! · 01-22-06, 10:32 PM

The link.

mcrosco · 01-22-06, 10:46 PM

Onstar will do it...even if you don't have your subscription enabeled. A friend of mine was carjacked in NYC and called OnStar. They located his car.

tomos · 01-23-06, 07:13 AM

At my company in the UK we use a website called mapamobile.com to locate the engineer closest to our customers. If we type in the phone number of one of our engineers, we can se on a map where he is. All he has to do is keep his phone switched on, he doesn't even need to make a call. So if you bought a subscription to the service and left a phone in the car you could track it that way.

If you're in the UK you can see how the system works for free by texting
"try mapamobile" (without quotes) to 83118 and you'll receive a message back telling you where you are! Pretty nifty.

jadams951 · 01-23-06, 05:17 PM

Lowjack is much easier. OnStar can track it but there is a slight delay and if the battery is removed then it won't work.