Real-Time Tracking

Real-time tracking shows a vehicle's position and status on a map as it moves. The data comes from a telematics device or from the connected vehicle itself. It helps dispatch jobs, respond to incidents and protect assets, within the rules set by the CNIL, France's data protection authority.

How is real-time tracking different from GPS tracking?

The two terms are often confused. GPS tracking refers to the positioning technology. Real time describes how often positions are sent, and how quickly they arrive.

A system that only records a position at widely spaced intervals does GPS tracking, but not real-time tracking. Frequent updates, on the other hand, let you watch the vehicle move across the map.

The update rate depends on the hardware, network coverage and settings. On a connected vehicle, the manufacturer sets it. So be wary of “real-time” promises that say nothing about these conditions.

Telematics device or connected vehicle: what are the differences?

In most fleets, two data sources coexist. The table compares their main characteristics.

Criterion	GPS-OBD device	Manufacturer-connected vehicle
Hardware	A telematics device plugged into the diagnostic port	No added hardware: the data comes from the manufacturer
Update rate	Depends on the device, the network and the settings	Set by the manufacturer
Vehicles covered	Useful for non-connected or older vehicles	Recent vehicles whose manufacturer shares the data
Long-term leased vehicles	Check the terms of your lease contract	The vehicle's registered holder must agree
At Dadycar	Optional device, from €60 excl. VAT to buy	No hardware, in the Fleet + Telematics plan

To choose between them, see the connected vehicle integration page.

What is real-time tracking used for in a fleet?

The CNIL lists the accepted purposes (in French) for geolocating employees' vehicles. They overlap with the everyday uses of a fleet.

• Dispatching jobs: sending the nearest technician, especially in an emergency.
• Justifying a service: tracking, proving and billing a transport job or a service call.
• Protecting: ensuring the safety of the employee, the goods or the vehicle, especially in case of theft.
• Enforcing usage rules: detecting use of the vehicle during a period when it is not allowed.

Geofencing complements these uses. It triggers an alert when a vehicle enters or leaves a zone.

What legal limits does the CNIL set?

Real time makes the temptation to monitor stronger. The CNIL's guidance on geolocating employees' vehicles sets clear limits.

• No permanent monitoring: geolocation cannot be used to watch an employee continuously.
• No collection outside working time: not during breaks, and not on the home-to-work commute. Employees must be able to turn location tracking off.
• Protected groups: no tracking of employee representatives while they carry out their mandate, nor of employees who are free to organize their own travel.
• No speed checks: geolocation is not for checking compliance with speed limits.
• Protected access: the real-time map can only be accessed with a username and password.
• Limited retention: two months as a rule, according to the CNIL. This rises to one year to optimize routes or prove interventions, when there is no other means. It reaches five years for tracking working time.

Employees are informed before the system is put in place, and employee representatives are informed or consulted. The CNIL fined a company €10,000 for refusing to give an employee a copy of their data. Our telematics and GDPR guide walks through the steps.

How Dadycar helps

The Fleet + Telematics plan shows your vehicles in real time, for €16 excl. VAT per vehicle per month. The data comes from a GPS-OBD device, or directly from the connected vehicle with no hardware. See real-time telematics tracking and our fleet geolocation solution.

Geofencing works by site and by time slot. Vehicle alerts, anomaly and fraud detection, and the charge level of electric vehicles complete the map.

Positions and trips are purged after two months as a general rule. They are kept for one year for route optimization or proof of intervention, and five years for working time. Everything is hosted in France, with OVHcloud.

Frequently asked questions

What refresh rate should you expect?

It depends on the device, the network and the settings chosen. On a connected vehicle, the manufacturer sets it. Always ask your provider under what conditions the position is updated.

Can a service vehicle be tracked outside working hours?

The CNIL rules out collecting location data outside working time. Employees must be able to turn it off. The employer can check how often and for how long it is turned off, and penalize abuse.

Do employees have to be informed before tracking is turned on?

Yes. Each employee receives individual notice, for example through a staff memo or an amendment to their contract. Employee representatives are informed or consulted before any decision to install it, according to the CNIL.