Tracking may seem like an invasion of privacy for many different aspects especially from a technological standpoint but when it comes to safety purposes it's a bit different. When it comes to keeping people and property safe tracking is essential. This is the case with tracking vehicles. The same technology (GPS) used to help you navigate with your vehicle is used to track it.

But of course, the tracking isn't embedded in your car. For this, you need a vehicle tracker which can not only inform you of the location of your car but also detect if someone has stolen it or not. You can also set alerts for your tracker so you get informed when your vehicle(s) starts moving or when it arrives at a destination.

One of the most important features you should take into account when searching for a car tracking device is the type of tracking it can provide you with. The best solution here would be to go for real time vehicle tracking devices. These provide information about the location in real-time i.e as it changes and not at certain intervals or upon movement. This way you have more insight into what's happening on time rather than after the fact.

The reach of the signal of an auto GPS tracker can be worldwide or it can be limited to a country or number of countries. It's important that the tracker you go for is able to provide information in the areas your vehicle or vehicles will be driven the most. The wider the signal reach the more expensive the tracker since it can work with more satellites to provide you with the exact location of your vehicle.

Keeping a log of the places and roads your vehicle has been on may not seem like that useful bit for someone who has a fleet of them it can be. This is where you should consider getting a tracker that can record and store the trip history of your vehicle(s). This feature can also provide you with information on the number of kilometres covered in a certain time period as well as idleness, stopping points and even average speed. The level of information you get from this feature will differ from tracker to tracker.

With our phones being a big part of our lives having a tracker that can notify you of the location of your vehicle(s) is quite a handy feature. Alerts can usually be turned off via an app on your phone and they usually pop up when a vehicle starts moving and when it stops. But other apps allow you to set alerts for when a vehicle enters a certain area or exits it. For this to be possible you should look for real time vehicle tracking devices with geofencing.

This is a feature that allows you to set a boundary on a map. This can be used for the reason we just mentioned. This can help you keep your vehicle(s) in a certain area or prevent them from going in it. With real-time tracking, geofencing can be quite a helpful and powerful feature.

While not a deal-breaking feature, an easy-to-install tracker can make your life much easier. How so? - You might think. Because, when it comes to charging the tracker or swapping the SD card (if it records the trip history of your vehicle) you'll have quite a difficult time. Unless the tracker is one that can be mounted and removed from your vehicle easily.

If you don't want to keep removing and mounting your tracker in order to charge it or swap the SD card then consider going for a hardwired tracker. This type of car tracking device is used with cars that don't come with an OBD II port. These are older vehicles which are the only ones that require this type of tracker if you want to know their location.

For a more convenient solution and also one that offers the highest level of concealing (if needed) consider getting a battery-operated auto GPS tracker. While you'll have to check in on it from time to time both for charging and the memory on the SD card you can hide this auto GPS tracker anywhere you want. This is because battery-operated trackers are the most compact. This way a thief won't notice it as easily as you'll be able to conceal it better.

Unlike a battery-operated car tracker, a plug-in one connects to the OBD II port on your vehicle. These trackers are able to provide more information than just location. Average speed and idleness can also be shown. You also don't need to charge the tracker. But plug-in trackers are not that easy to hide since the OBD II port is easy to access, sitting below the steering column. Plug-in trackers are a better option when it comes to keeping the family connected but not to prevent theft.