Skip advert
Advertisement

Vehicle tracking system feature

We look at the services offered by five top tracking firms

motorway

On average, a vehicle is stolen every two minutes in the UK. That makes for worrying reading, but the fact that half of them – around 103,000 – are never recovered is downright frightening.

With car firms now habitually fitting complex immobilisers and alarms as standard on new models, opportunist thefts have been cut drastically. Unfortunately, professional thieves now work in a different way. Statistics show that the most common method of stealing a car is to burgle your house (which, ironically, is usually far less secure than your vehicle) and take the keys.

So, if you ultimately can’t prevent your car being stolen, the next best thing is to make sure you can trace it once it’s gone – and that’s where hi-tech tracking devices come into play.

Advertisement - Article continues below

All these set-ups operate in a similar manner: illegal movement is detected, and location is plotted by means of an on-board GPS receiver. This is connected to a mobile phone, which contacts both the service provider’s control centre and the owner. The system liaises with the police – although this feature requires an annual subscription that’s paid up front, or for the length of ownership.

The devices are triggered by the car’s immobiliser and/or a ‘geo fence’ – an invisible ring at a set distance around the vehicle. More complex products also have a special electronic tag or card, which means that even if the vehicle is stolen with the keys, it will be tracked instantly.

Verdict

Fitting a tracking device won’t necessarily get you a discount on your insurance policy, but you may receive a reduction in your theft excess.

Insurers accept three Thatcham security ratings. Category Q tests makers’ claims for products. This was superseded in January by the Total Quality Accreditation (TQA). Category 5 tests hardware, and also ensures the standards of fitting and control room support.

Skip advert
Advertisement

New & used car deals

Volkswagen Golf

Volkswagen Golf

RRP £24,625Avg. savings £2,271 off RRP*Used from £11,595
Volkswagen Tiguan

Volkswagen Tiguan

RRP £35,385Avg. savings £2,919 off RRP*Used from £14,800
Skoda Kodiaq

Skoda Kodiaq

RRP £38,140Avg. savings £3,450 off RRP*Used from £11,895
Toyota Yaris Cross

Toyota Yaris Cross

RRP £26,495Avg. savings £1,672 off RRP*Used from £12,200
* Average savings are calculated daily based on the best dealer prices on Auto Express vs manufacturer RRP
Skip advert
Advertisement

Most Popular

Toyota GR Corolla hot hatch is on the way to the UK
Toyota GR Corolla - front cornering

Toyota GR Corolla hot hatch is on the way to the UK

The success of the GR Yaris has persuaded Toyota that there’s room in its UK range for the high performance Corolla
News
19 Jun 2025
Car Deal of the Day: Blistering BMW M135 for a bargain £301 a month
BMW M135 xDrive - front cornering

Car Deal of the Day: Blistering BMW M135 for a bargain £301 a month

Not many hot hatchbacks are as complete as BMW’s recently updated M135. It’s our Deal of the Day for 19 June.
News
19 Jun 2025
Car Deal of the Day: a potent 335bhp Volkswagen ID.7 GTX for a rock bottom price
Volkswagen ID.7 GTX - front static

Car Deal of the Day: a potent 335bhp Volkswagen ID.7 GTX for a rock bottom price

GTX Plus gives some extra punch to an already excellent electric saloon. It’s our Deal of the Day for 20 June.
News
20 Jun 2025