The advantages of using geolocation in the automotive industry

Securing your car from theft is not easy. One way to protect against thieves is through geolocation. What are the other applications of this technology?

What exactly is geolocation?

There is a common myth in the automotive community that geolocation systems are used in navigation systems, which are able to determine the route from one place to another. Contrary to popular belief, car navigation and geolocation are two different concepts. The latter refers to systems that allow you to determine where your vehicle is, what route it took, and at what point it was in a specific location. Another name for geolocation is GPS monitoring. Geolocation modules can be especially useful for trucking companies.

Basic protection against potential theft

The first thing that comes to mind when thinking about geolocation systems is protection against potential theft. Geolocation systems cannot be considered sufficient protection. It is not a foolproof solution. However, with a quick response and immediate action, we have a high chance of recovering the car from the hands of thieves.

However, the usefulness of geolocation does not end with the ability to determine the location of a stolen vehicle. Individual drivers can also take advantage of the data offered by GPS monitoring to better determine driving expenses, for example. However, the true power of geolocation is only seen when we have a larger number of vehicles under our control.

Geolocation – a good choice for transport company owners

Geolocation modules will be a very useful solution for those who have small trucking companies. This is a way to make extremely beneficial improvements in the operation of the company. Not only does it save time, but it is also an investment in a more prosperous business that will pay for itself.

The advantages of using geolocation systems in a trucking company include:

• Quick access to information and generation of detailed reports – we can monitor the routes of our fleet and the lifetime of the cars.
• Easier management of vehicle infrastructure in the company – we have real-time access to information about which cars are on the road and which are waiting to be filled. Thanks to this we are able to optimize the use of individual vehicles.
• Register of vehicle mileage – thanks to geolocation we are able to prove that a passenger car is used in business. Such records are required if we intend to deduct VAT in business expenses.
• Reducing operating and fuel costs of the car fleet – GPS monitoring allows you to manage the fleet in such a way as to maximize its efficiency and at the same time reduce operating costs.
• The ability to communicate with other on-board systems – an example would be, for example, tachograph. Establishing communication between these two systems will allow for better control of drivers’ working time and consequently for avoiding penalties.
• The possibility of accounting for employees’ performance of duties or overtime – geolocation systems can support the control of employees’ working time. Not only in the context of the tachograph, but also counting how many hours an employee has worked in regular shifts, and how many in overtime.
• It helps in maintaining timeliness – having a geolocation system, we are able to better plan the time for assignments, and in some of its versions, program SMS notifications.

Summary of benefits of using geolocation systems, or GPS monitoring

For the individual driver, geolocation systems are perhaps not so crucial. In this case, they mainly serve as protection against vehicle theft or general monitoring of their routes. The benefits of this solution become apparent when you run a trucking company. The control of a car fleet is an unheard of convenience when running a transport business. Among other things, it allows you to monitor the status of your vehicles, better plan routes, as well as control the level of expenses related to fuel consumption or directing the vehicle to an appropriate inspection.

Using a locator, you can easily find your vehicle on the map: