The first GPS tracker was developed back in the 1980s. Although innovative and very useful, only the military was able to use it. After that, vehicles started to be fitted with it, as they could fit the large, clunky equipment required. It didn’t take long, however, for it goes from that to portable GPS trackers for hikers and the popular satellite navigation systems now seen in almost every vehicle. Indeed, today, the technology is used in cellphones, trucks, cars, and more.
How Is a GPS Tracker Used?
There are lots of ways in which a tracker can be used. For instance, companies with a large fleet use car GPS tracker to determine where their vehicles and drivers are. This can be very important for limousine companies and trucking companies, for instance. Similarly, they are often fitted to taxies so that the company can always know where their drivers are, giving their customers an accurate ETA.
They are also useful for safety. If a vehicle is stolen, for instance, or if a driver informs the central that they have been hurt, it is easy to instantly spot where the vehicle is. And, of course, GPS systems are used to stop people from getting lost, which again makes them particularly useful for the taxi industry and fleet and transportation.
That said, there is more to a GPS tracker than providing a digital roadmap for cars. They can even be used to track people and this is often done anonymously as well. Families with teenagers, and particularly driving teenagers, are particularly fond of these devices. But they can be fitted to children who have a tendency to run off, teenagers who might be up to no good, spouses who are suspected of cheating, and so on.
Last but not least, these trackers are used in conservation efforts. They are often fitted to collars and placed on animals, for instance, so that scientists can determine exactly how such an animal lives and behaves over a period of time. They have been able to track sea mammals such as whales all over the world, gaining a far greater understanding of migration as well.
How to Choose a GPS Tracker
Clearly, this type of technology offers nothing but benefits and it is no surprise, therefore, that so many people now look into having it. If you are one of those people, you may feel somewhat overwhelmed with the number of choices that are out there. Indeed, there are in excess of 200 reputable companies in this country alone that offer GPS systems. You have probably heard of companies like Magellan, Navman, Garmin, Rocking Mountain Tracking, TeleType, and TomTom. Added to that is the fact that most cell phones now come equipped with some sort of GPS tracking technology. You will have to do some research yourself in terms of determining which brand you like best. Make sure you take the time to investigate the various reviews left about the product.
Such news should be made more widely available.