News

Get text messages from your stolen car saying where it is

Combine GPS (global positioning by satellite) and SMS texting, and all your car needs to be able to call for help when it is stolen, is software. Enter Interactive Projects Limited.

The company makes two car security systems; TrakM8 Standard, and TrakM8 Advance, both of which combine GPS and SMS. The primary purpose of the new features of TrakM8 Advance is to provide protection against car hijacking; but probably, the secondary feature will be used more often - a speed camera warning.

Paul Collins, Chairman of Interactive Projects, said “Recent car hijacking events and customers have demanded that we add new safety features to TrakM8 – the ultimate low cost vehicle companion for consumers and small businesses. So we are proud to announce TrakM8 Advance with new Panic and Safety Camera warning features.â€

The panic alert facility, when activated, sounds a local alarm – to hopefully deter the attacker - and sends ‘PANIC!' text messages to one or more user defined mobile phones. The message includes the exact location of the vehicle.

You can ask the car where it is, too; phone it up. It will respond with an SMS text. Example text message response from TrakM8 to the "where are you?" feature would be: “MONDEO VX51 WER is 1.6 miles W of BICKENHILL (UK) travelling N at 66 mph – 17:15 27-2-2002 52'27'09N 1'45'21Wâ€

GPS doesn't just provide location information, of course; it provides speed info, too. So TrakM8 Advance also provides a warning facility when approaching an accident black spot (speed camera) and advises the driver if they are exceeding the speed limit. "Unlike any other safety camera warning device on the market, TrakM8 Advance can update its internal database with new safety camera locations over the GSM network, without user intervention," said the official announcement.

The original version of TrakM8 (pronounced Track Mate), is now renamed TrakM8 Standard.

The only drawback of this system, of course, is that it uses the GSM network. Tracking down a hidden electronic device that creates audio interference the way a GSM phone does, isn't terribly hard, and once car thieves become aware of this device in the market, it is likely to be quickly and easily de-activated. However, there are other wireless technologies (for example, Transcomm's Mobitex network) which are relatively stealthy.

Both versions of TrakM8 include the following comprehensive features: – where are you?; automatic journey reports; invisible ‘security shield'; report if vehicle is being abused / has left its permitted area / has broken its curfew / is speeding or has its car alarm sounding; fastest 0 – 62; maximum speed attained; round trip report; time and distance based reporting.

TrakM8 can also act as a ‘black box flight recorder' for journey analysis after accidents or as a journey recorder logging the vehicle position and speed every 30 seconds (user definable interval) for subsequent download and analysis. In conjunction with a PDA or laptop PC both versions of TrakM8 are capable of providing in car Internet access or showing the location of the vehicle in real time on street level mapping.

Full details from Interactive Projects or email the sales department or even phone : 0870 7701697 or +44 1258 480730.