Motorhome trackers. Why do you need a tracker, and what type should you buy?
A practical guide on motorhome tracking devices from Caravan Information Services
The post-pandemic trend of holidaying at home and moving to remote working continues to drive motorhome and campervan sales. Staycations are a thing, and digital nomads working on the move closer to nature are the lifestyle choices of many professionals.
Unfortunately, the rise in motorhome and campervan sales has also led to an alarming increase in theft. The demand for used vehicles and parts has escalated, making these vehicles a prime target for thieves.
Yet, while the police recover an estimated 95% of vehicles fitted with trackers, research by GPS specialist Trackershop suggests only 13% of motorhomes and 6% of campervans have trackers installed.
What happens to stolen motorhomes?
Approximately 4,000 caravans, campervans and motorhomes are stolen annually in the UK. Recovering a stolen vehicle becomes a race against time because one of two things happens:
- Thieves strip the vehicle for spares. A healthy market for campervan conversions and motorhome upgrades means demand for parts is high. Most thieves selling parts claim they come from an accident-damaged vehicle to avoid suspicion of theft.
- Thieves may sell the vehicle and sometimes give it a new identity, making it much harder to track.
Why instal a motorhome tracking device
Conventional security devices, such as wheel clamps, steering locks, and a manufacturer-fitted alarm, may deter an amateur thief but are easily overcome by professionals. Moreover, none of these devices help recover a stolen vehicle.
Hi-tech trackers, however, now combine tracking with sophisticated theft prevention features such as deadlocks, advanced immobilisers, and onboard diagnostic (ODB) port locks to prevent thieves from cloning key codes.
Moreover, if the worst happens, like thieves winch your motorhome onto a low-loader, a tracker provides the best chance of recovery.
For example, Global Telemetrics, which manufactures the SmarTrack system, recovered stolen motorhomes based on the Fiat Ducato worth £1m in 2022.
How motorhome trackers work
GPS-based tracking systems use satellite signals to triangulate your vehicle’s position and send the data back to a controller.
By comparison, VHF systems transmit signals between the vehicle’s tracking device and a ground-based station network.
Both technologies may be passive or active. Passive means periodically accessing the control unit to retrieve data; active means real-time monitoring by people in a control centre. It’s best to avoid passive motorhome systems, as recovering a stolen vehicle is time-critical. You’ll need to know where the motorhome is as quickly as possible rather than where it’s been.
GPS systems cost less than VHF systems but won’t work without a clear signal. You’ll lose the signal if your vehicle ends up in a shipping container, blind spot or underground. It’s also possible for thieves to jam a GPS tracker.
However, GPS trackers offer helpful features such as vehicle immobilisation and Automatic Driver Recognition (ADR) security.
VHF trackers offer greater resilience, can’t be jammed, and, most importantly, police use the same technology. So, once you report your vehicle as stolen, police units around the UK can directly track the signal. GPS relies on the tracker manufacturer’s call centre to update the police on the vehicle’s location. VHF also works if thieves store a stolen vehicle that a GPS signal can’t reach, like a lockup garage or an underground car park.
The good news is that some devices, including the fully-featured Thatcham S5 Plus, use VHF and GPS in a single device.
Aftermarket versus pre-installed trackers
Some motorhome manufacturers install trackers on new models or offer a retrofit option at the dealer before a customer collects a vehicle. These options are the most convenient.
However, aftermarket or retrofitted options offer more features, such as the potential for remote immobilisation, Ghost immobilisers, PIN-protected vehicle starts, battery disconnection alerts, and geofencing.
The other benefit of an aftermarket system is that it presents thieves with a more significant challenge. Motorhome manufacturers install their systems the same way on every vehicle, which may be a weakness. On the other hand, independent installers use different techniques, so it’s harder for a thief to understand how an aftermarket unit integrates with the vehicle.
Motorhome trackers and insurance
Tracker manufacturers claim your insurance provider may offer a 10%-25% discount on the premium with a suitable tracker system installed.
In some cases, a tracker may be a condition of a policy, especially in the base of a high-cost brand new motorhome.
Either way, you’ll need a system that meets an insurance company’s requirements. Typically, this means an S5 or S7-rated tracker or Thatcham-approved security device. 24/7/365 remote monitoring in a control centre is also required.
What to look for
Manufacturer-installed tracking systems offer little or no choice in the features you need, so you get what you get.
However, here are a few features to be aware of when looking at retrofitted devices:
Apps
All modern trackers use an app to send alerts but double-check that the app covers vehicle starts without your knowledge, vehicle movement, including being lifted and towed, a power cut to the tracker, or vibrations.
Geofencing
Geofencing allows a user to set a virtual perimeter around the vehicle, triggering an alert if the vehicle moves outside the zone. Some apps let you set up more than one zone.
Vehicle battery disconnect alert
This feature alerts your phone if the vehicle battery is unintentionally disconnected.
Device battery life
Battery life matters because the longer a tracker works without vehicle battery power or recharging, the more opportunity there is to recover a stolen vehicle. The best units offer up to five years of standby battery life.
Motion sensor
Motion sensors detect unauthorised movement.
Anti-jamming technology
You’ll find this on trackers using military-grade VHF technology.