Sounding transmitter, Airtag or GPS Tracker.
The differences at a glance.
Why a GPS tracker for your E-bike or scooter instead of, say, an AirTag or tracking transmitter?
There are different trackers on the market with different techniques. One tracker is fine for certain objects but much less so for vehicles, for example.
Airtag
An AirTag is a small device that uses BlueTooth to indicate its location in a companion app. The AirTag is not equipped with its own GPS chip but has a BlueTooth module and a battery that needs to be replaced when it runs low.
The AirTag does not have its own connection to a network but uses BlueTooth from other Apple devices to determine its location. This works fine in an environment with many Apple devices such as urban areas. But as soon as you are in an outdoor area such as a forest or remote industrial site, you will have no location.
Objects for which the AirTag is a good solution include keys, wallets and suitcases. An AirTag also provides only the location and no trip data.
Advantages | Cons |
|---|---|
Small
| Only location with enough Apple devices nearby |
Affordable | Operates on a battery with limited lifespan |
Useful for various (small) objects
| Does not record ride data |
Easy installation | No geo-fence option |
No location in outlying areas |
Sounding station
Sounding transmitter is actually the collective name for trackers that operate on a stand-alone battery. It usually uses an alternative network such as LoRa, for example. LoRa uses less power. This is also necessary because sounding transmitters are not connected to the power source of a vehicle, for example, so they need to be able to work longer on a battery. A sounding transmitter is only switched on after theft. This can be done via an app or text message. A sounding transmitter does not record trip data or give a notification in case of theft and you only find out that your vehicle has been stolen when you see for yourself that it is gone.
The tracking transmitter is usually stuck somewhere out of sight but on the outside of the vehicle and is therefore also subject to the weather and can therefore be sabotaged fairly easily. The battery lasts quite long because it is only activated after theft but still drains slowly and should therefore be checked regularly. In the Netherlands, the LoRa network has quite a nice coverage but not nearly as good as a 4G network. LoRa also does not work well outside urban areas.
The price of a sounding transmitter is lower than that of a GPS tracker and the subscription price is usually almost the same as for a SIM subscription with a GPS tracker. A tracking transmitter can be a solution for less valuable objects without their own power supply such as ordinary bicycles.
Advantages | Cons |
|---|---|
Cheap | Vulnerable |
Easy installation | Operates on a battery with limited lifespan |
Does not record ride data | |
Less accurate location due to alternative network | |
Easy to sabotage | |
No geo-fence option |
GPS tracker
A GPS tracker is a small device that can be built invisibly into almost any vehicle and can be connected to the vehicle's power supply.
The Tracefy GPS tracker includes various sensors such as GPS, shock sensor and Bluetooth for optimal location determination. The GPS tracker uses the 4G network and therefore also gives the real-time location at any time. In addition, all activities such as ride data are recorded and stored. Sending and receiving data requires power. The GPS tracker gets its power from the battery or motor of the e-bike or scooter and is also equipped with a small backup battery that, if the vehicle's battery is dead, can still transmit the location. The GPS tracker comes with an app that stores all ride data in addition to the real-time location. For example, routes, mileage, average speed etc. In addition, the GPS tracker also comes with a geo-fence function. This means you can put a virtual fence around your vehicle when you park it somewhere. You will then get an instant notification on your smartphone if your vehicle gets outside this fence, which also allows you to switch quickly in case of theft. In the app, you can make an instant notification with our partner in detection who will take immediate action. Through the GPS location, they can already determine the location quite accurately and through the BlueTooth sensor, they can trace to the meter with their BlueTooth scanner.
Advantages | Cons |
|---|---|
Built-in tamper-proof
| Installation by specialist required |
Always supplied with power
| Higher purchase price |
Highly accurate real-time location determination
| |
Tracking via GPS and Bluetooth | |
Records all trip data |
