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Car Trackers
superclive98
Posts: 4,766
Does anyone have first-hand knowledge of the Mercedes in-built tracker and whether it's any good or other trackers, that you pay to have installed and then pay a subscription for its use?
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I've just stuck an Apple Air-Tag in my car. Seems to work fine and I can see exactly where it is when I've parked.3
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How powerful and accurate are they?CafcWest said:I've just stuck an Apple Air-Tag in my car. Seems to work fine and I can see exactly where it is when I've parked.0 -
They rely on data from other IPhone users, like Google/Waze do for their traffic jam info. So in built up areas they will work very well, but if your car gets nicked and ends up in rural Kazakhstan it will be useless.superclive98 said:
How powerful and accurate are they?CafcWest said:I've just stuck an Apple Air-Tag in my car. Seems to work fine and I can see exactly where it is when I've parked.
I’m using one because my car- a top-end DS4, has an inbuilt tracker system which in practice is totally fucking useless. It “works” via the app which is also totally fucking useless for 80% of its functions. It will typically show where my car was parked before my current journey commenced. So usually, it says the car is at home in the garage when I am out and about with it, while when I am back home it suggests that I forgot to take the car home with me. Most drivers of new DS cars have this problem and DS don’t give a monkey’s. And then they wonder why people buy Teslas…1 -
Yes, pretty good actually.superclive98 said:Does anyone have first-hand knowledge of the Mercedes in-built tracker and whether it's any good or other trackers, that you pay to have installed and then pay a subscription for its use?
Twice when I've needed a tow truck I've had a call from Mercedes within minutes to tell me was I aware that my car was moving without the engine running.0 -
The thing with air tags is they will ping an iPhone if it’s been in an area for any length of time together, not great if the person who stole the car has an iPhone and decides to wreck the car looking for it.3
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Sounds promising. Does that service come as standard or as part of a digital add-on package?golfaddick said:
Yes, pretty good actually.superclive98 said:Does anyone have first-hand knowledge of the Mercedes in-built tracker and whether it's any good or other trackers, that you pay to have installed and then pay a subscription for its use?
Twice when I've needed a tow truck I've had a call from Mercedes within minutes to tell me was I aware that my car was moving without the engine running.0 -
I wonder if the android versions do the same thing?guinnessaddick said:The thing with air tags is they will ping an iPhone if it’s been in an area for any length of time together, not great if the person who stole the car has an iPhone and decides to wreck the car looking for it.0 -
Standard I would assume. I bought the car secondhand though so no idea if it was part of an original package, but I dont pay anything for it.superclive98 said:
Sounds promising. Does that service come as standard or as part of a digital add-on package?golfaddick said:
Yes, pretty good actually.superclive98 said:Does anyone have first-hand knowledge of the Mercedes in-built tracker and whether it's any good or other trackers, that you pay to have installed and then pay a subscription for its use?
Twice when I've needed a tow truck I've had a call from Mercedes within minutes to tell me was I aware that my car was moving without the engine running.0 -
If you found out it was in rural Kazakhstan, what would you do with that information anyway?PragueAddick said:
They rely on data from other IPhone users, like Google/Waze do for their traffic jam info. So in built up areas they will work very well, but if your car gets nicked and ends up in rural Kazakhstan it will be useless.superclive98 said:
How powerful and accurate are they?CafcWest said:I've just stuck an Apple Air-Tag in my car. Seems to work fine and I can see exactly where it is when I've parked.3 -
Not sure, it was introduced as a safety feature as they were being dropped into women’s bags and then being followed. The other week I was on a coach trip to the beach with the kids from the community centre. My iPhone told me that an AirTag had been following me from the start of the journey.superclive98 said:
I wonder if the android versions do the same thing?guinnessaddick said:The thing with air tags is they will ping an iPhone if it’s been in an area for any length of time together, not great if the person who stole the car has an iPhone and decides to wreck the car looking for it.0 - Sponsored links:
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Even more promising.golfaddick said:
Standard I would assume. I bought the car secondhand though so no idea if it was part of an original package, but I dont pay anything for it.superclive98 said:
Sounds promising. Does that service come as standard or as part of a digital add-on package?golfaddick said:
Yes, pretty good actually.superclive98 said:Does anyone have first-hand knowledge of the Mercedes in-built tracker and whether it's any good or other trackers, that you pay to have installed and then pay a subscription for its use?
Twice when I've needed a tow truck I've had a call from Mercedes within minutes to tell me was I aware that my car was moving without the engine running.0 -
Does that mean you have a women's bag then, Guinness? Maybe you should change it?0
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My car came with a built-in tracker/immobilisation system. It is operated by Vodaphone Automotive. They have a UK presence but the HQ is based in Italy.
I believe the company used to be called Cobra but Vodaphone bought them out.
The system itself seems robust and the car manufacturer's app always knows where the car is. I get warning texts if the alarm goes off. (As it did once when parked under the flight path at the Stansted Long-term parking!)
It comes with a little card that is called (pompously) an "automatic driver recognition" system. It is supposed to notice if the car is moving but the card is not in the car. And the car can be immobilised remotely by Vodaphone. So, if you are on a ferry, for example, you have to call Vodaphone and let them know so they can temporarily disable the system alerts. Strangely, my local Screwfix branch is a dead spot for the ADR. So if I go there, I always get a text warning me of the car's movement. This hasn't happened anywhere else.
The system is available for after-market installation. There is an annual subscription fee.
Having said that the system is good, their customer service is rubbish. (Because my car had been brought into the country as a vehicle for the manufacturer's UK staff to use - but that never happened - trying to get the system registered in my name rather than theirs took around three months and then it took another month to be able to pay them the subscription once the included year run out.)
However I have recently read that trackers can now be blocked by car thieves. So I have also resorted to using an old school steering wheel lock too.0 -
Someone’s missus didn’t trust him.guinnessaddick said:
Not sure, it was introduced as a safety feature as they were being dropped into women’s bags and then being followed. The other week I was on a coach trip to the beach with the kids from the community centre. My iPhone told me that an AirTag had been following me from the start of the journey.superclive98 said:
I wonder if the android versions do the same thing?guinnessaddick said:The thing with air tags is they will ping an iPhone if it’s been in an area for any length of time together, not great if the person who stole the car has an iPhone and decides to wreck the car looking for it.0 -
As far as I know - there isn't an Apple Air-Tag equivalent for Android.superclive98 said:
I wonder if the android versions do the same thing?guinnessaddick said:The thing with air tags is they will ping an iPhone if it’s been in an area for any length of time together, not great if the person who stole the car has an iPhone and decides to wreck the car looking for it.0 -
Well it wasn’t herself, as she was on the coach also. I did wonder if one of the kids had one on them, put there by their parents.SuedeAdidas said:
Someone’s missus didn’t trust him.guinnessaddick said:
Not sure, it was introduced as a safety feature as they were being dropped into women’s bags and then being followed. The other week I was on a coach trip to the beach with the kids from the community centre. My iPhone told me that an AirTag had been following me from the start of the journey.superclive98 said:
I wonder if the android versions do the same thing?guinnessaddick said:The thing with air tags is they will ping an iPhone if it’s been in an area for any length of time together, not great if the person who stole the car has an iPhone and decides to wreck the car looking for it.0 -
I don't know if it is the exact android equivalent but Samsung appear to do something called a SmartTag2.CafcWest said:
As far as I know - there isn't an Apple Air-Tag equivalent for Android.superclive98 said:
I wonder if the android versions do the same thing?guinnessaddick said:The thing with air tags is they will ping an iPhone if it’s been in an area for any length of time together, not great if the person who stole the car has an iPhone and decides to wreck the car looking for it.0 -
I've seen a device advertised that plugs into the lighter socket that is a charger that contains a tracker that links to Apple's "Where's my...." app.0
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Might bw a bit easy for the crims to spot the flashing tracker light from the cigarette lightwr though mind?1
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Android had to change their OS to handle android tags and opt in people's phones by default. They still haven't turned on ultra wide band signals, but it's on their roadmap. I believe Motorola have now released Moto tag which is an android equivalent, and has uwb built in ahead of the os changes. I've ordered a few to test myself. Whilst they can be hidden, still no replacement for a specific car tracker.superclive98 said:
I don't know if it is the exact android equivalent but Samsung appear to do something called a SmartTag2.CafcWest said:
As far as I know - there isn't an Apple Air-Tag equivalent for Android.superclive98 said:
I wonder if the android versions do the same thing?guinnessaddick said:The thing with air tags is they will ping an iPhone if it’s been in an area for any length of time together, not great if the person who stole the car has an iPhone and decides to wreck the car looking for it.0 - Sponsored links:
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Has anyone actually used one of the car trackers and had a successful resolution after its been stolen, I ask because an acquaintance of mine had his Range Rover stolen and he used the tracker. it showed it was in the yard of a funeral home on an industrial estate in East London, he contacted the police and of course they were no help. eventually the tracker went off line, assume the thieves removed it.0
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Perhaps the police reached a dead end in their enquiries.Radostanradical said:Has anyone actually used one of the car trackers and had a successful resolution after its been stolen, I ask because an acquaintance of mine had his Range Rover stolen and he used the tracker. it showed it was in the yard of a funeral home on an industrial estate in East London, he contacted the police and of course they were no help. eventually the tracker went off line, assume the thieves removed it.4 -
No personal experience. But the industry claim that around 95% of vehicles with trackers are recovered.Radostanradical said:Has anyone actually used one of the car trackers and had a successful resolution after its been stolen, I ask because an acquaintance of mine had his Range Rover stolen and he used the tracker. it showed it was in the yard of a funeral home on an industrial estate in East London, he contacted the police and of course they were no help. eventually the tracker went off line, assume the thieves removed it.
(I understand that installation at the time of the car's manufacture helps greatly because the system is deep within the wiring loom and the aerial hidden deep within the bodywork. Making it very difficult for the twockers to either find or remove the system without completely trashing the car. Of course, if it is to be broken up for spare parts and shipped to Russia then they won't care. Russians love their luxury western cars but now cannot get them or the OEM parts to keep them on the road from legitimate sources because of sanctions. So a Range Rover or whatever can be stolen, broken up and shipped to Africa in a container for onward sale to someone in Russia.)1 -
It doesn't flash.Alwaysneil said:Might bw a bit easy for the crims to spot the flashing tracker light from the cigarette lightwr though mind?0 -
Slightly off topic.
An old customer of mine was Haringey Council, we had 3 or 4 fencers that would come in.
One guy was old school and did not have a problem when trackers were installed. A couple of them were very put out and thought it was not necessary and a liberty that "they were being watched". They were the ones pulling strokes and doing 5 hour days and going to places they shouldn't.
Needless to say the worker and the shirkers did not see eye to eye.1 -
golfaddick said:
Yes, pretty good actually.superclive98 said:Does anyone have first-hand knowledge of the Mercedes in-built tracker and whether it's any good or other trackers, that you pay to have installed and then pay a subscription for its use?
Twice when I've needed a tow truck I've had a call from Mercedes within minutes to tell me was I aware that my car was moving without the engine running.
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If it's for security, the problem with the factory trackers is the thieves know where they are so will be disabled within minutes.
Personally I always fit a secondary immobiliser on my cars (so even if the keys are read or stolen it still won;t start). In addition these trackers are very good with a nifty app, I set geo fences so know when the car leaves or enters certain areas (get an app notification and email).
https://www.itrackdirect.com/
As someone who is working on a project with a large car manufacturer, I can assure you nowhere near 95% of those with trackers are recovered, more like 15%.0 -
The Samsung Smarttags are brilliant. I have a few of them all over my car. Plenty of Samsungs out there so the app always seems to know where I am, and they don't have any of the anti-stalking features of the airtags so will never alert a car thief.
20 quid well spent.0 -
Had a webinar with a guy who tests car immobilizers, trackers, manufacturers apps etc and he mentioned that trackers were actually causing problems with international shipping vessels. This is because the thieving bastards who steal the cars put them into shipping containers with jamming devices to block the trackers signals. But there are so damn many of them that they are fucking up the GPS navigation systems of the ships they are on!0
