OBD2 tracking may sound complicated, but it’s actually quite simple. On the basic level, it allows for devices to interact with your car in a smooth and simple way – you just plug the OBD2 GPS tracker into your OBD II connector, and the device will work immediately.
In a more technical, and less simple way, OBD II connectors allow for easy diagnostic and analysis of the car through various devices (including the OBD car GPS tracker). They therefore allow for external electronics to painlessly interface with a car’s computer system for various reasons. For OBD2 tracking (such as with TrackingFOX), this reason is for the OBD GPS tracker devices to be able to plug-and-play with the car, allowing not only for power to supply the OBD GPS tracker, but also for you to get extra features like fuel monitoring or driving speed.
But in order for you to fully appreciate OBD2 tracking for devices such as the TrackingFOX OBD GPS tracker, let’s take a little look at what OBD II really is.
What is OBD II?
In general, the OBD “OBD2 GPS tracker” stands for “On-Board Diagnostic.” As a system, it was standardized in the mid-1990s to help car services fix many problems and improve the car’s performance. While it’s intended for diagnostics, lots of devices – such as the TrackingFOX vehicle tracker – have developed that use the OBD system.
Now, you may wonder what does the “2” in OBD 2 stand for. Quite simply, it’s the second iteration of the OBD system. The first OBD (often called “OBD 1”) came about due to a Californian law that required all cars sold in the state to have this diagnostic capability. However, there were no real standards for the system, which is why in 1994 they updated the OBD requirement with a standardized model, which later became known as OBD 2 (often written as OBD II, OBD-II, etc.)
Since then, nearly every new car sold in the US and the world in the last two decades now follow the OBD II standard.
What to look for in OBD2 tracking
Since it’s the standard in all new cars, it’s very likely that the car GPS tracker you’re considering will be an car tracking device. For that reason, it’s important that you know what to look for in the perfect OBD car tracking app.
The most important is that it’s easy to install. Since the OBD II port allow for easy plug-and-play capabilities, the OBD2 tracker like TrackingFOX should plug into the port, install within seconds, and run itself.
That’s the basic requirement. Beyond that, you’ll want to look for the following features in any good OBD tracker:
- Track your car in real time, accurately and reliably
- Get specific notifications for important events
- Identify any unsafe driving behavior, including speeding, hard braking, or rapid acceleration, via the OBD gps vehicle tracking
As you can see, there’s quite a list of things you need to check in order to ensure you have high-quality OBD GPS tracker.
Now, while there are a lot of hidden GPS trackers that use the OBD II port in your car, it can be quite difficult to figure out which one is really the best for your needs. That’s why we’ll go ahead and recommend the one that definitely fulfills your needs, but won’t break the bank.
Privacy and legal considerations
There are many advantages to using an OBDII GPS tracker, knowing the privacy and legal considerations are paramount. These devices collect extensive, sensitive, location-based behavioral information. We need to address issues related to data security, ethical data use, and legal requirements. By understanding these factors more deeply, you can use it in responsible and informed ways.
Data security and storage insights
GPS trackers can collect a lot of personal data so it’s critical to protect user data. Strong security practices, including encryption technologies, protect confidential information from data breaches or hacks. Advanced encryption helps by scrambling location data in transmission. This renders the information almost useless if hackers were to intercept and exploit it.
High quality secure servers and storage solutions are critical for protecting the integrity of tracking information. Businesses that prioritize data protection policies, like GDPR and CCPA, will demonstrate their commitment to user privacy. Their strict compliance shows a deep devotion to the sanctity of personal information.
When selecting a GPS tracker, it’s at least worth exploring how your data is stored and handled. Users have raised fears that their subjective driving behavior data might one day be used against them in an insurance claim or similar situation. Insurers could use driving patterns collected from OBDII devices to determine fault in an accident.
This data may result in more claims being underpaid or even completely denied. In Indiana, modified comparative fault laws allow you to recover damages only if you’re found to be 51% at fault or less. That highlights the need to choose devices with transparent policies regarding what data is used and retained.
Legal implications of using GPS trackers
Knowing the legal landscape around GPS trackers isn’t always easy since laws differ at state and local levels. Using these devices without informed consent can have serious legal ramifications. For instance, using a tracking device without a person’s knowledge might be a breach of privacy laws or can lead to criminal charges.
Law enforcement agencies similarly regulate these practices to prevent surveillance overreach that violates people’s rights. It’s important to understand your local regulations before you buy or use a tracker. Second, employee privacy should be protected in workplaces, even when tracking company vehicles.
Being upfront about how the data will be used builds trust and protects against privacy-related legal issues. In addition, inadequate adherence to privacy and legal considerations can expose organizations to fines or other legal repercussions. This means ensuring that they use information smartly and thoughtfully is essential.
Ethical use of tracking devices
Ethical considerations are just as critical as legal ones. Responsible tracking practices should require obtaining explicit consent from individuals being tracked. For instance, an employer must notify employees of any tracking and indicate the rationale, like enhancing fleet safety.
Being upfront about what data you’re collecting and how you plan to use it doesn’t just create trust, it prevents the backlash of unethical practices. Surveilling an individual without their knowledge or consent might damage working relationships or lead to conflict that wouldn’t have otherwise existed.
Weighing safety and privacy protects against the unfair and disrespectful use of GPS tracking devices. In addition to making the ethical decision to prioritize privacy, users should be empowered to make informed decisions, balancing short-term conveniences with the negative repercussions of pervasive tracking.
The best OBD GPS tracker
So now that you’ve got a good idea of what an OBD2 vehicle tracking device is, let’s look at our top recommendation for the best OBD tracker: TrackingFOX. Let’s go through this amazing live gps tracker and see why it’s such a great OBD GPS tracker.
TrackingFOX is an easy plug-and-play OBD tracker
When you first get the TrackingFOX OBD vehicle locator, you won’t have to search for very complicated instructions. All you need to do is locate the OBD II connector in your car and plug in the TrackingFOX OBD2 tracker.
And that’s it! You can then start using all the great features that TrackingFOX presents to you, which we’ll be discussing below.
A low-priced but reliable OBD2 GPS tracker
One of the biggest benefits of the TrackingFOX OBD vehicle tracker is that it comes in at a pretty good price. However, while “low-priced” often means “low-quality,” the same cannot be said for TrackingFOX’s OBD GPS tracker.
Here, you’ll not only get a great price, but also a very dependable and reliable OBD vehicle tracker. That’s because TrackingFOX is powered by a highly-sensitive, built-in GPS and GSM antenna that is completely wire-free.
You can configure TrackingFOX’s OBD GPS tracker as you like
TrackingFOX comes with a huge advantage that you can add a significant amount of alarms by configuring the OBD2 tracking system. These alarms include the always-popular geofencing alert, which will allow you to see when a designated vehicle fitted with an OBD vehicle locator is entering or leaving a zone you specify. This can be a school, place of work, leisure or hobby location, or much more.
You can also configure the OBD car tracker to give you movement notifications or even if the ignition has been turned on. That way, you can rest peacefully knowing that you’ll know immediately if something happens to your car at any time, day or night.
TrackingFOX OBD2 tracking comes with a great guarantee
Lastly, this OBD vehicle locator, which can be used from anywhere between -20C (-4F) to 70C (158F), provides drivers with a great guarantee. If you buy the TrackingFOX device, you’ll get a 2-year warranty.
This really will provide you with peace of mind in case anything happens to the TrackingFOX gps vehicle locator during that time.
Final thoughts
The OBD or OBD II port on fairly modern cars have made it much easier to not only diagnose issues with the car, but also to provide extra safety and security features. One of those is the OBD2 tracker, which easily plugs into the OBD connector and provides real-time location information for OBD2 tracking, as well as other great features mentioned above.
The best real time gps tracker that we can recommend is the TrackingFOX OBD2 tracking device, which will help allow you to easily and accurately track your vehicle at any time, in any place.