5 ms·

Because you can already buy them. They are called GPS trackers. Try a Google search for "Car GPS Tracker".

brador 10y ago
Car GPS trackers are expensive, hard to install, poorly designed and just plain bad. It can't be hard to do it better. And if done right there's a massive market. You could get in with insurance companies to cover costs like NEST did with the energy companies. The Business model writes itself.
- jotux 10y ago
  After some very brief googling it seems like there are many decent choices. Here's one: http://www.awaregps.com/ http://www.awaregps.com/
  - jessriedel 10y ago
    $20 per month!?!
    - wlesieutre 10y ago
      If you're in a making mood, you could DIY something with a Particle Electron 3G for $3/month. 1MB of data ought to be enough for typical idling, and an extra $0.99/MB is pocket change if you need more data to recover the car once it's stolen. No GPS built in, so you could either add a GPS module or hope that cellular/wifi triangulation is good enough resolution. I agree this feels like something that should be available off-the-shelf at a reasonable price by now.
    - Sanddancer 10y ago
      Having a recognized GPS tracker in your car can usually get you a 10-20% discount. So if you're driving a reasonably recent and/or higher end car, you'll save more than that on insurance premiums.
- jbob2000 10y ago
  It wouldn't be hard to make a product that works 90% of the time. The problem is making a product that is extremely reliable, working 99.99999% of the time. When it comes to GPS car tracking, the system needs to work all the time, so I imagine getting those 5 9s is damn hard.
  - vidarh 10y ago
    > the system needs to work all the time Why?
- Animats 10y ago
  It's been done. It's called LoJack.[1] LoJack is pre-GPS. There's a tiny unit hidden somewhere in the car, connected to vehicle power. Normally it just sits there, transmitting nothing. LoJack has deals with major police departments. When a vehicle is reported stolen, their system picks up the stolen car report, and sends a signal out on a subcarrier of commercial FM broadcast stations, with the ID of the LoJack unit involved. The LoJack unit picks this up, and starts broadcasting its beacon signal, using car power if available and its own battery if necessary. Police cars equipped with LoJack receiver gear (four antennas in a square on the roof) light up a display with direction, approximate range, and info about the target vehicle. Recovery rate of LoJack equipped vehicles is about 90%. LoJack recovers about 10,000 vehicles per year. It's a 30 year old, effective technology. [1] http://www.lojack.com/ http://www.lojack.com/
- citrin_ru 10y ago
  > Car GPS trackers are expensive, hard to install, poorly designed and just plain bad. I don't know about US market, by in my country an anti-theft GPS trackers sold for about $100 (and about $50 for installation). Not a lot compare to a vehicle cost. Also your need a SIM card (to send/receive SMS by tracker). Even in the US it is not expensive (e. g. T-Mobile for $3/month).
vomitcuddle 10y ago
it's common for sophisticated car thieves going after luxury vehicles to use GPS/cell phone jammers. there are some products using proprietary technology not reliant on a GPRS/3G signal.
- nucleardog 10y ago
  For anyone looking for a DIY type thing, you can buy modems that use the Iridium satellite network for maybe $250. Line fees are about $12/mo and from what I remember when I looked, it's actually quite cheap if you just want to transmit short textual data (like location status updates). Worked out a lot cheaper monthly than using 3G from most of the carriers around here. Of course, it comes with its own downsides. For instance you'll lose reporting if they pull in an underground garage. On the other hand, if they ship your vehicle to the South Pole you'll continue to have reception.

Car GPS trackers are expensive, hard to install, poorly designed and just plain bad. It can't be hard to do it better. And if done right there's a massive market. You could get in with insurance companies to cover costs like NEST did with the energy companies. The Business model writes itself.

jotux 10y ago
After some very brief googling it seems like there are many decent choices. Here's one: http://www.awaregps.com/ http://www.awaregps.com/
- jessriedel 10y ago
  $20 per month!?!
  - wlesieutre 10y ago
    If you're in a making mood, you could DIY something with a Particle Electron 3G for $3/month. 1MB of data ought to be enough for typical idling, and an extra $0.99/MB is pocket change if you need more data to recover the car once it's stolen. No GPS built in, so you could either add a GPS module or hope that cellular/wifi triangulation is good enough resolution. I agree this feels like something that should be available off-the-shelf at a reasonable price by now.
  - Sanddancer 10y ago
    Having a recognized GPS tracker in your car can usually get you a 10-20% discount. So if you're driving a reasonably recent and/or higher end car, you'll save more than that on insurance premiums.
jbob2000 10y ago
It wouldn't be hard to make a product that works 90% of the time. The problem is making a product that is extremely reliable, working 99.99999% of the time. When it comes to GPS car tracking, the system needs to work all the time, so I imagine getting those 5 9s is damn hard.
- vidarh 10y ago
  > the system needs to work all the time Why?
Animats 10y ago
It's been done. It's called LoJack.[1] LoJack is pre-GPS. There's a tiny unit hidden somewhere in the car, connected to vehicle power. Normally it just sits there, transmitting nothing. LoJack has deals with major police departments. When a vehicle is reported stolen, their system picks up the stolen car report, and sends a signal out on a subcarrier of commercial FM broadcast stations, with the ID of the LoJack unit involved. The LoJack unit picks this up, and starts broadcasting its beacon signal, using car power if available and its own battery if necessary. Police cars equipped with LoJack receiver gear (four antennas in a square on the roof) light up a display with direction, approximate range, and info about the target vehicle. Recovery rate of LoJack equipped vehicles is about 90%. LoJack recovers about 10,000 vehicles per year. It's a 30 year old, effective technology. [1] http://www.lojack.com/ http://www.lojack.com/
citrin_ru 10y ago
> Car GPS trackers are expensive, hard to install, poorly designed and just plain bad. I don't know about US market, by in my country an anti-theft GPS trackers sold for about $100 (and about $50 for installation). Not a lot compare to a vehicle cost. Also your need a SIM card (to send/receive SMS by tracker). Even in the US it is not expensive (e. g. T-Mobile for $3/month).

vomitcuddle 10y ago

it's common for sophisticated car thieves going after luxury vehicles to use GPS/cell phone jammers. there are some products using proprietary technology not reliant on a GPRS/3G signal.

nucleardog 10y ago
For anyone looking for a DIY type thing, you can buy modems that use the Iridium satellite network for maybe $250. Line fees are about $12/mo and from what I remember when I looked, it's actually quite cheap if you just want to transmit short textual data (like location status updates). Worked out a lot cheaper monthly than using 3G from most of the carriers around here. Of course, it comes with its own downsides. For instance you'll lose reporting if they pull in an underground garage. On the other hand, if they ship your vehicle to the South Pole you'll continue to have reception.