A GPS tracking device is used to determine the precise location of a vehicle, person, or asset to which it can be attached and to record the position of the asset at regular intervals. Data on the location of the asset can be stored in the tracking unit or transmitted to central location data base, or internet-connected computer, with the help of a cellular GPRS radio or satellite modem embedded in the unit. The location of the asset can be displayed against a map backdrop either in real time or with customized software when analyzing the track later.

Vehicle tracking systems are used by fleet operators for fleet management functions like routing, dispatch, on-board information and security. They can also be used for monitoring driving behavior of an employee or that of a teenager by his parents. The vehicle tracking systems are popular as theft prevention and retrieval devices. The signals emitted by the tracking device can simply be followed and the vehicle located.

When used as a security device the vehicle tracking systems can act as a replacement or addition to the traditional alarm. The use of vehicle tracking systems can significantly reduce insurance costs as the risk of loss is reduced dramatically. Some vehicle tracking systems are equipped to send automatic alerts to a phone or e-mail if the vehicle is moved without authorization or the alarm is triggered.

The vehicle tracking systems are classified as passive and active. Passive devices can store GPS location, speed, heading and sometimes a trigger event such as key on/off, door open/closed. Once the vehicle returns to a predetermined point, the device is removed and the data downloaded to a computer for evaluation. Active devices also collect the same information but transmit data in real time through cellular or satellite networks to a computer or data center for assessment.

With the installation of vehicle tracking systems, real time location of the whole fleet of vehicles is possible and consumer needs can be met more effectively and efficiently. Whether it is delivery or service, drivers only require a mobile phone or internet connection to be inexpensively tracked by and dispatched efficiently. The vehicle tracking systems also allows companies to quickly locate a field engineer and dispatch the closest one to provide site arrival information or meet a new customer on request.

There are three types of GPS devices. They are loggers, data pushers and data pullers. Loggers have an internal flash memory, a memory card slot or a USB port. They can store data gathered from the asset to which they are attached. Data pushers send the position of the device at regular intervals, to a predetermined server. The server can instantly analyze the data that is coming in. they are most commonly used by the security industry. A GPS receiver and a mobile phone are kept in the same compartment and are powered by the same battery.

Data pushers send the position of the device at regular intervals. These devices are always on and can be queried as often as required.