A car or GPS tracker is a navigation device that is installed in a vehicle that uses satellite navigation to determine its movement and location.
Installation of such devices became popular in Pakistan with the beginning of car leasing in 2000s. Almost all lessors (banks, etc.) have it explicitly written in their leasing terms and conditions that the car should have such a device installed in it.
While you may not have much of a choice when leasing a vehicle, what if you are buying a car, should you consider getting such a gadget? If you have had such thoughts, this blog is for you. Here you will find the pros and cons or benefits and drawbacks of getting a GPS tracking system for your car.
Benefits of Installing GPS Tracker
Here are some of the obvious and less known advantages of installing a tracker in your car:
- Theft Recovery – It provides real time location of your car which can be seen on your smartphone or laptop. This can help the Police recover your stolen vehicle.
- Beefs Up Security – Depending on the type of tracker you choose, it can trigger an alarm to deter theft. Also, it can help set up a geo-fence or safe zone around a specific location. You will be sent an instant notification, if your car enters or leaves that safe zone.
- Personal Safety – Once again depending on the type of tracker you decide to install in your car, you can set speed limits, which when crossed will send you an instant notification. This feature comes in handy when you have teenage kids driving your car.
- More Productivity – If you are in the delivery business, you can track your roadrunners progress, help your customers know their current location, etc.
- Saves you Money – If you are leasing a car, the lessor will not let you lease without installing a tracker in the car. Leasing may not save you money in the long run, but in the short term, it saves you from paying a lump sum.
Disadvantages of Installing Car Tracker
Some of the more obvious disadvantages or reasons which will stop you from getting a car tracker are their cost and dependability.
- Price – This is obvious. The latest and the best GPS tracker will cost you a lot of money. However, not every car tracker will cost you a fortune, so do extensive research to know their cost. You can begin your search by visiting OLX Pakistan’s car tracker page.
- Signal Jamming – Everyone has heard of car theft stories where the tracker stopped sending signals after a while and the trail went cold. This is because of tech-savvy thieves who know how to disrupt the signals from the satellites.
In March 2022, Lahore Police’s Anti-Vehicle Lifting Squad (AVLS) busted a digitally-equipped car lifting gang. The gang was involved in stealing luxury keyless cars. Its head, a university educated man, used an automotive key programming tool for this purpose.
- Powering Issues – Your car tracker will either be powered by the battery or will be hardwired. The battery-powered tracker will require charging at all times while the hardwired car tracker will get charged by your car’s battery. If the car’s battery is weak, it won’t charge the tracker. The same goes for battery-powered trackers.
- Invasion of Privacy – Since car trackers trace the real time location of a vehicle, your employees may object. For this, you can get their consent before installing such a gadget in their vehicle.
In any case, there are more positives than negatives of installing trackers in your car. So go for it. However, before deciding on getting a particular tracker, do your research, especially the cost and user reviews of your preferred tracker, etc.
Do you have a tracker in your car? Why did you choose to install it? What was the cost and are you satisfied with its performance? Let us know.
You may also like to read: Tips to Prevent Your Car From Getting Stolen
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