amuck-landowner

Any experience with vehicle tracking?

Damian

Damian

New Member
Verified Provider
A new project I'm working requires tracking speed,miles,hours, and idle time of a running fleet vehicle, and then integrating this data into a maintenance plan.

I see that there are plenty of all-in-one solutions for tracking your teenage daughter, and therefore the tracking company offers devices that work with their website.

Anyone have experience with GPS devices for automobiles that don't integrate with a vendor's website? I'd like to be able to program the device to hit a web URL on a specified interval and POST data.
 
SeriesN

SeriesN

Active Member
Verified Provider
Damian said:
A new project I'm working requires tracking speed,miles,hours, and idle time of a running fleet vehicle, and then integrating this data into a maintenance plan.

I see that there are plenty of all-in-one solutions for tracking your teenage daughter, and therefore the tracking company offers devices that work with their website.

Anyone have experience with GPS devices for automobiles that don't integrate with a vendor's website? I'd like to be able to program the device to hit a web URL on a specified interval and POST data.
Click to expand...
Smart phone with custom app sounds easier and more convinient.
 
blergh

blergh

New Member
Verified Provider
Arduino maybe? I dont think there's anything open-source or that you can modify. I know that there's computers available, but yeah.
 
Aldryic C'boas

Aldryic C'boas

The Pony
We use something very similar at Coke - but it's all in-house.  I wrote the actual tracking and calculations, but not really sure what advice if any I could give on the subject.  I don't have any recommendations as far as third party =\
 
MartinD

MartinD

Retired Staff
Verified Provider
Retired Staff
Just an odb reader that's plugged in and connected to a small gsm device.
 
drmike

drmike

100% Tier-1 Gogent
Any small, low powered linux box.  Put that together with USB GPS receiver and a 3G/4G data card.
 
Damian

Damian

New Member
Verified Provider
A phone isn't viable. The vehicles currently have a thing plugged into the OBD2 port, but they keep getting knocked off.

I found http://www.instructables.com/id/Real-Time-GPS-Tracker-with-Integrated-Google-Maps/ which details using a GSM modem and a GPS module with an Arduino, but it's over $200 for the components.

It's looking like the RasPi is going to be the best solution:

$43 for the Raspi (http://www.amazon.com/Raspberry-Pi-Model-Revision-512MB/dp/B009SQQF9C/)

$30 for the USB module (http://www.amazon.com/GlobalSat-BU-353-USB-Navigation-Receiver/dp/B000PKX2KA/)

~$30 for a CDMA 3G USB stick off of ebay. I can't find a USB GSM modem that works for the United States.

So about $110 all-in. And I get the full support of the Linux ecosystem instead of the somewhat inconsistent support of the Arduino community.
 
drmike

drmike

100% Tier-1 Gogent
Sounds like you have a good shopping list there :)

Good reviews on that GPS and Linux compatibility there too.

The 3GB USB dongle,  probably every cell company has them available.  Shouldn't have a problem there.  Linux support though is bound to be semi-problematic DIY level stuff.   Pick company with coverage to suit needs.

Now for the software stack :)   Anything with RS-232/USB compatibility is s a good start.  Going to need HTTP library/support too.   That's about it.
 
drmike

drmike

100% Tier-1 Gogent
I'll inject it since you are knowledgeable and Linux friendly....  Plenty of ARM based devices out there.  Full mini boards with USB... and for a song sometimes --- PogoPlugs, Sheevaplugs and the many derivatives.

$24.99 for a pink Pogoplug, shipped.  Root ability and new OS is well documented.

Ditto for the  Seagate FreeAgent DockStar.

Saves you a cool $15.  
 
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