[docsr]

Am considering installing a GPS car tracking device on our Polo GT as it has started school runs with a driver lately.
There is a pop-up (or rather shuffle up) ad that appears on the team-bhp pages about the MapMyIndia OBD based plug and play tracker call the DriveMate. Conceptually it seems an elegant solution.
The other option was MapMyIndia's Rover line of trackers- this I think requires professional installation (and may be wire splicing)
I would appreciate a first hand account about these to help in the decision making process. Alternatively,any other make and brand that is better than our own MMI.

[akshay87kumar]

I am also considering buying a car/driver tracking device. Of late, I have been exasperated by the continuously dropping mileage in my car over past one month. I would request your feedback on devices which fulfill following requirements:
1. GPS tracking of car
2. Monitoring idling, overspeeding, hard braking and related nuisance
3. Good to have: Fuel logs, mileage/trips records, etc.

I have already tried keeping in a cell phone attached to charger and installed with apps. But a couple of days in garage and the battery is dead - and the app no longer turns on automatically after shutdown.

Thanks
Akshay

[Dry Ice]

Originally Posted by akshay87kumar

I am also considering buying a car/driver tracking device. Of late, I have been exasperated by the continuously dropping mileage in my car over past one month. I would request your feedback on devices which fulfill following requirements:
1. GPS tracking of car
2. Monitoring idling, overspeeding, hard braking and related nuisance
3. Good to have: Fuel logs, mileage/trips records, etc.

I have already tried keeping in a cell phone attached to charger and installed with apps. But a couple of days in garage and the battery is dead - and the app no longer turns on automatically after shutdown.

Thanks
Akshay

Simple tracking is easy - Autocop/MMI have several products you could consider. Some of them don't have a backup battery and rely completely on the car's battery - best avoided. Both of them provide the ability to track the current location/ignition on-off/speed alerts/route taken etc. They will also have a recurring cost of 100-200/month for sms/data - to allow sms alerts and live tracking on their webpage in addition to the one time purchase and install cost. Prices are in the range of 7k upwards (Autocop).

For tracking the fuel related stuff, you will need a more sophisticated system, likes of which are usually fitted by fleet owners. Both Autocop/MMI may have such systems also, you can email them your requirement and they can offer you the best suited product.

[akshay87kumar]

Originally Posted by akshay87kumar

I am also considering buying a car/driver tracking device.
Akshay

Based on my research, I have come up with following devices:
1. Mapmyindia Drivemate (http://www.mapmyindia.com/drivemate/)
2. Autowiz (http://www.autowiz.in/)
3. Trak n tell (http://www.trakntell.com/)

Do members have reviews and inputs on these (and other) devices?

[hangover]

Originally Posted by akshay87kumar

I have already tried keeping in a cell phone attached to charger and installed with apps. But a couple of days in garage and the battery is dead - and the app no longer turns on automatically after shutdown.

Thanks
Akshay

Originally Posted by akshay87kumar

Based on my research, I have come up with following devices:
1. Mapmyindia Drivemate (http://www.mapmyindia.com/drivemate/)
2. Autowiz (http://www.autowiz.in/)
3. Trak n tell (http://www.trakntell.com/)

Do members have reviews and inputs on these (and other) devices?

You'll have to arrange for a secret power supply to a box with a used iPhone 4 (approx. 6k) with wifi dongle.

If you're willing to splice wires for installing a GPS device then you may as well install a second charging point.

Basically keep in airline mode to save power. Turn on wifi.

Go to settings >privacy> location services> system services.

Enable frequent locations.

Now if you login to the iCloud account from a laptop or another iPhone you can track the phone.

You can also enable share my location on the secret phone. Maybe you're a tycoon and have secretaries to track your multiple cars.

You'll know exactly where the car has been, how many times and what time. If it does not get the exact GPS location, it will draw a blue circle.

The blue circle is a crowd sourced database from Apple which combines cell tower signals and other wifi transmitters, maybe blue tooth signals to derive a general area.

Androids too have this feature.

You can probably hide the phone below one of the rear speakers.

[prkothan]

Hi

Using phone + wifi dongle as GPS device is not a good choice. Reason is a professional GPS device gives lot more info and cost less too.

A phone can give only the location, but the GPS device gives speed, Ignition ON/OFF, AC ON/OFF, geo fencing etc.

Wifi dongle involves cost - usually 350 per month. But GPS providers gives you yearly plan . And their application gives lots of analytics (aka Telematics) about your driving behaviour, ignition ON time, idling time etc.

Even they give app notification on IGNITION/AC ON/OFF, over speed, location entry/exit etc etc.

Regarding fuel monitoring - for cars its not accurate because the float sensors which comes built-in in car is not accurate.

For commercial vehicles they use probe sensors which is 99% accurate. Do checkout chennai based company - Vamo System (Vehicle Advanced Monitoring Systems) http://vamosys.com gives good service .

Regards,
Prasanna K

[prkothan]

There are one more type of device called OBDII trackers. This can be installed in a car without cutting/slicing the wires.

http://vamosys.com/obd-ii-trackers/

[itwasntme]

Mapmyindia has just launched a similar OBD based tracker branded Drivemate.

[gaurav013]

Originally Posted by Dry Ice

Simple tracking is easy - Autocop/MMI have several products you could consider. Some of them don't have a backup battery and rely completely on the car's battery - best avoided. Both of them provide the ability to track the current location/ignition on-off/speed alerts/route taken etc. They will also have a recurring cost of 100-200/month for sms/data - to allow sms alerts and live tracking on their webpage in addition to the one time purchase and install cost. Prices are in the range of 7k upwards (Autocop).

For tracking the fuel related stuff, you will need a more sophisticated system, likes of which are usually fitted by fleet owners. Both Autocop/MMI may have such systems also, you can email them your requirement and they can offer you the best suited product.

Im using MMI Rover 101 : http://www.mapmyindia.com/tracking/mmi-rover-101

I'm quite unhappy with the product and services of MMI :-

- The SMS of car ignition come very late sometimes after 3-6 KM of driving
- The web interface and the Phone app are very rudimentary and the GUI is very unimpressive
- The free quota of SMS for the initial period is very less as compared to competition & the moment the quota expires, you get only email alerts
- Did not give me a choice of the telecom service provider, I would have preferred the SIM based on the telco which has better network in North India

Let me know if you need more info on the one I have installed and will be happy to share further details

Overall, not happy with the product. I was also exploring 2 other products then : http://locate.trackinggenie.com/ and http://www.phoenixsecure.in/ . My colleague whose Fortuner got solen from his house 6 months back has now got a Phoenix installed and he is quite pleased with it.

[vishusingh]

I'm scouting for a GPS device for my Creta SX+ AT, following are the 2 top choices so far -

1 - AutoCop - 7k, model unknown, the shopkeeper was too keen to hang up (Has all the features apparently, including remote engine immobilisation, confirmed via phone, will visit the shop today)
2 - Phoenix Secure N1 - 6.5k ( Told me engine immobilisation isn't possible for push-button start)

Can anyone please comment if they're using one of these services?

[itwasntme]

Originally Posted by vishusingh

AutoCop - 7k, model unknown, the shopkeeper was too keen to hang up (Has all the features apparently, including remote engine immobilisation, confirmed via phone, will visit the shop today)

Can anyone please comment if they're using one of these services?

I'be been using Autocoptrackpro TP1000 for the last 2 years on my Polo and now my Cruze. The service is very very good with superb uptime and highly effective tracking in BLR at least. BLR has loads of defense installations with mobile jammers and when my vehicle is nearby it sometimes loses the signal but always regains shortly.

I paid about 6k for the unit itself and am paying around 1500 p.a. for the SIM card. Am very satisfied with it and would highly recommend the same.

http://www.autocoptrackpro.com/products.aspx

[jimmywalter]

Originally Posted by vishusingh

I'm scouting for a GPS device for my Creta SX+ AT, following are the 2 top choices so far -

1 - AutoCop - 7k, model unknown, the shopkeeper was too keen to hang up (Has all the features apparently, including remote engine immobilisation, confirmed via phone, will visit the shop today)
2 - Phoenix Secure N1 - 6.5k ( Told me engine immobilisation isn't possible for push-button start)

Can anyone please comment if they're using one of these services?

I use
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B009ZCCZV6
like it

[vishusingh]

Originally Posted by jimmywalter

I use
http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B009ZCCZV6
like it

Looks like a great option though it requires the user to liaise with the car themselves unlike Autocop or Phoenix here in India, is great value for money indeed though.

For anyone who's interested here's the key differences I've come to know so far between Autocop & Phoenix -

- Phoenix seems to have alerts via Call and SMS both, this seems to be a big advantage as messages could go unnoticed especially during late night hours.

- Autocop offers immobilisation via app/sms for push button start cars while Phoenix doesn't.

Both of these are major advantages and I wish I could have them both, although alert by voice call seems to be one I'll probably be going with as the things stand now.

[cmiuc]

I am using Megatracker from past 3 years & happy

[jimmywalter]

Originally Posted by vishusingh

Looks like a great option though it requires the user to liaise with the car themselves unlike Autocop or Phoenix here in India, is great value for money indeed though.

For anyone who's interested here's the key differences I've come to know so far between Autocop & Phoenix -

- Phoenix seems to have alerts via Call and SMS both, this seems to be a big advantage as messages could go unnoticed especially during late night hours.

- Autocop offers immobilisation via app/sms for push button start cars while Phoenix doesn't.

Both of these are major advantages and I wish I could have them both, although alert by voice call seems to be one I'll probably be going with as the things stand now.

The system I use does allow it and you to immobilize the car