Vehicle location data in the context of Driver scoring

A GPS tracking unit, commonly referred to as a GPS tracker or simply tracker, is a device used as part of a tracking system to track the location of the asset it is connected to. It uses a Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) to determine its geographic position. This location data, along with other vehicle or asset telemetry, is transmitted to an Internet-connected device or a central server using an embedded cellular, radio, or satellite modem. This enables the real-time monitoring and management of vehicles, assets, personnel, and animals from a remote location, and is used in intelligent transportation systems. The global market was valued at over $2.5 billion in 2022 and projected to grow at a CAGR of over 13% to reach $4.76 billion by 2027.

GPS tracking units are used by consumers and are a component of fleet telematics systems and fleet digitalization. Data collected by these devices is typically sent to specialized fleet management software platforms. While many modern vehicles are equipped with a factory-installed telematic control unit (TCU) from the manufacturer, aftermarket GPS tracking units are used to manage mixed fleets (with vehicles from different brands) and to equip vehicles that lack native telematics systems. Specialized hardware manufacturers produce these devices.

A tracking system is a technology used to monitor and record the location and movement of objects or people in real-time or through a historical log. It combines a locating technology, such as GPS, BLE, or RFID, with a software system that collects, processes, and displays the data.

The primary purpose of a tracking system is to provide location-based data to improve efficiency, safety, and security across a wide range of applications. In logistics and fleet management, these systems form the core of modern telematics, enabling companies to optimize routes, monitor assets, and ensure driver safety through methods like driver scoring. They are also used for track and trace solutions in the supply chain, where they are used to ensure product integrity and combat counterfeiting. Beyond commercial use, tracking systems are integral to many consumer services, from personal item finders to ride-hailing apps.

A fleet telematics system is a method for managing vehicle fleets by combining in-vehicle hardware with a centralized software platform. This integration facilitates the real-time collection and analysis of data related to a vehicle's location, its mechanical health, and the performance of its driver. While it uses vehicle tracking for foundational automatic vehicle location, a comprehensive telematics system goes further by tapping into a vehicle's onboard diagnostic systems. It is a component of fleet digitalization, transforming raw data into insights for improving efficiency, safety, and lowering the total cost of ownership (TCO).

These systems are used in modern fleet management, providing data on everything from fuel consumption and engine maintenance to driver scoring and route planning. A common challenge that modern platforms address is the consolidation of data from a mixed fleet of vehicles and machinery from various manufacturers into a single, unified system. The technology is used in commercial industries and for consumer services like carsharing and ride-hailing platforms such as Uber and Bolt.

Asset tracking is a specific application of telematics using a tracking system to monitor the location and status of physical assets. It involves using location data to know where an asset is, where it has been, and when it is expected to arrive at its destination. While the underlying technology is the same as automatic vehicle location technology used for a vehicle tracking system or in fleet management, asset tracking typically refers to the monitoring of non-vehicular assets, such as shipping containers, tools, medical equipment, and high-value inventory.

Location-based service (LBS) is a general term denoting software services which use geographic data and information to search systems, in turn providing services or information to users. LBS can be used in a variety of contexts, such as health, indoor object search, entertainment, work, personal life, etc. Commonly used examples of location-based services include navigation software, social networking services, location-based advertising, and a tracking system. LBS can also include mobile commerce when taking the form of coupons or advertising directed at customers based on their current location. LBS also includes personalized weather services and even location-based games.

LBS is critical to many businesses as well as government organizations to drive real insight from data tied to a specific location where activities take place. The spatial patterns that vehicle location data and services can provide is one of its most powerful and useful aspects where location is a common denominator in all of these activities and can be leveraged to better understand patterns and relationships. Banking, surveillance, online commerce, and many weapon systems are dependent on LBS.

Video telematics is a technology that combines video cameras with telematics data, such as GPS location and sensor readings, to provide a real-time, contextual view of assets and personnel as part of a tracking or automatic vehicle location solution. According to industry analysis, the adoption of video telematics has been the "hottest industry trend over the past five years" and "hasn't slowed down," with primary uptake coming from fleets adding video capabilities to their existing systems. While used in fleet digitalization for managing vehicle fleets through fleet management, its principles are also applied to enhance the safety of lone workers through body-worn cameras.

The technology evolved from earlier, non-connected in-vehicle video recorders (Mobile DVRs) which only stored footage locally. By connecting cameras to a central cloud-based platform and synchronizing video with telemetry data, video telematics provides verifiable visual context to operational events.