You’ve likely heard a lot about GPS tracking, whether from this blog or your everyday life in the fleet industry. Fleet trackers are essential tools of the trade, helping you track vehicle location and all sorts of data about your vehicles.You may have heard of OBD2 GPS trackers for fleets at some point. We’ll explore what that means and how OBD2 fleet tracking vs. hardwired tracking may benefit your business.
What is OBD2 Fleet Tracking?
There are all kinds of ways to install GPS trackers in your vehicles. If you’re currently hardwiring your GPS trackers, there’s an easier way. OBD2 trackers plug into your vehicle’s OBD port.
OBD stands for onboard diagnostics. Any vehicle built after 1996 should have an OBD2 port you can easily access. While the exact location of your OBD port can vary, you’ll most likely find it somewhere underneath the steering wheel.
What are the Advantages of an OBD2 Tracker?
OBD2 trackers, also known as covert GPS trackers, have many advantages that hardwired ones don’t.
- Plug-and-Play: Hardwired GPS trackers are challenging to install. On the other hand, OBD2 GPS trackers connect straight into your diagnostics system. This saves you money on installation and reduces downtime.
- More than Location: These trackers plug directly into the OBD2 port. This gives them more data, particularly on vehicle health. For example, your OBD2 tracker can automatically send DTC codes in real time.
What are the Disadvantages of an OBD2 Tracker?
There’s only one real drawback of OBD2 trackers: they can easily be removed. In some circumstances, this is an advantage. If you are moving your tracker from one vehicle to another, you want it to be easy to remove. However, this also means that the tracker might be removed accidentally. For example, a careless driver might accidentally bump into it and knock it loose.
What are the Advantages of Hardwired Trackers?
The alternative to OBD2 trackers is hardwired trackers. These types of trackers have benefits as well.
- Out of the Way: We mentioned that an OBD2 tracker could be knocked out of place. This is far more difficult with a hardwired tracker. These trackers are mounted behind the dashboard, where tampering is far less likely.
- More Data: You can obtain more data by hardwiring your tracker. For example, hardwired trackers can track your vehicle’s power take-offs.
- Driver ID: If your vehicles frequently switch drivers, a hardwired tracker may be a good option.
What are the Disadvantages of Hardwired Trackers?
Hardwired trackers have one major disadvantage. They require far more effort to install than OBD2 trackers. These devices typically require professional installation. This means more downtime and money spent. If you’re equipping an entire fleet at once, this may prove challenging.
Make the Choice Easy with Azuga!
Still not sure if you’re interested in a hardwired tracker or an OBD2 tracker? Azuga makes this choice easy! That’s because our state-of-the-art GPS trackers can be installed either way. It can be easily plugged into the OBD2 port or hardwired into your vehicle’s system. Are you equipping one vehicle or many? Is your fleet big or small? Is your budget high or low? No matter the answers to any of these questions, Azuga’s customizable packages make it easy to make fleet tracking a reality for your business. To learn more, schedule a demo with one of our fleet experts today!
