GPS Tracking

GPS tracking is the recording of a vehicle's position at regular intervals by a receiver that reads satellite signals and sends each point over the mobile network to a platform. Joined together, those points show where a vehicle is, the routes it took, where it stopped and how far it drove, which is the raw material of fleet telematics.

How a tracker works

A tracker, or the connected car's built-in module, combines three elements:

• A positioning receiver that calculates latitude, longitude, speed and heading from satellite signals, today usually from several GNSS constellations at once.
• A mobile connection that sends each position, with a timestamp and the ignition status, to a server.
• Reporting rules that decide how often to send: at fixed time intervals, every set distance, on each change of direction, or when an event such as ignition on or off occurs.

The reporting rhythm is a trade-off between precision, data volume and, for battery devices, energy use. Frequent points draw smooth routes on the map; sparse points give a coarser picture.

From points to trips

Raw positions are only dots. The platform turns them into information:

• Trips: a journey starts at ignition on and ends at ignition off, with its route, duration and distance.
• Stops and idling: periods without movement, with or without the engine running.
• Mileage: distance per vehicle, per driver and per period.
• Events: entering or leaving a zone, driving outside working hours, speeding against the posted limit.

Using GPS tracking responsibly

Tracking a company vehicle means processing data about the person driving it. In Europe, the GDPR applies: the purpose must be legitimate and stated, drivers must be informed, data must be kept no longer than needed, and private use should be respected, for example with a privacy mode outside working hours. Continuous monitoring of employees without a justified reason is not acceptable. Clear rules make tracking accepted rather than resented.

GPS tracking is the foundation; using it to run maintenance, costs and planning is what GPS fleet management covers.

How Dadycar helps

Dadycar is a French fleet management software whose telematics shows positions and trips in real time, without a box on compatible connected vehicles and with an optional tracker for the others. Trips and mileage are recorded automatically, real-time tracking sits next to vehicle records, and geofencing and configurable alerts flag events. The AI agent Donna answers fleet questions in plain language, and data is hosted in France, with OVHcloud.

FAQ

How accurate is GPS tracking?
Under open sky, positions are generally accurate to a few metres. Accuracy drops in tunnels, car parks and dense city streets.

Does a GPS tracker work without a mobile network?
The receiver still calculates positions, and most trackers store them and send them once coverage returns.

Can employees switch off tracking?
Where private use of a company vehicle is allowed, a privacy mode is a common way to stop location recording outside working time.