Locate your stolen car

[SalimTan]

I am writing phone apps for myself in case my car gets stolen in Singapore/Malaysia, I am asking for opinion if it is worth doing it at all.

 

HOW IT WORKS:

 

- I hide an Android phone in my car that tracks the car's location (GPS). The phone can be any old and obsolete Android phone that is worth close to nothing. The phone is installed with an app (I develop) that runs non-stop in the background.

 

- If the car is stolen, I use my regular phone to view my car's location graphically on a map. This phone is installed with an app (I develop) that hides all complexity from the user, but technically it sends an SMS to the car phone and the car phone responds with its location in SMS. The app decodes the SMS and drop-pin on an offline map.

 

 

WHAT ARE ALREADY AVAILABLE:

 

- There are low cost GPS trackers but they are on 2G networks that won't exist soon.

- 3G trackers are expensive.

- Commercial car trackers are available and most require subscription.

- Most trackers use mobile data.

 

 

MY METHOD:

 

- Reuse old/obsolete phones that are lying around, so I don't buy anything.

- Use SMS to communicate so phones don't need overseas mobile data. SMS in Malaysia doesn't cost much and we use only when car gets stolen.

- My regular phone uses offline maps, no need to access online map such as Google map, so again no need mobile data.

 

 

 

What are you using to track your car ?

If I decide to develop the apps, I might give it away free to commenters here.

[lausai88]

You need to pay subscription for the phone line?

 

Can use find lost phone from apple, dont need to develop an apps.

https://support.apple.com/en-sg/HT201472

 

if phone in car, locating the phone = locate car   

 

 

[Thaiyotakamli]

What if forgot to charge phone? Lol

[Weez911]

What if the thief throws away the phone?

[inlinesix]

What if forgot to charge phone? Lol

Always charge in the car.

[Mercury1]

Which country is this targeted at? If its Singapore no point really, if Malaysia also no point IMO since the car will be on route to a chop shop not to mention data reception on the highway is spotty at best.

 

Also if the users need to subscribe to a data plan just for this its gonna be pretty expensive to run

 

 

 

I am writing phone apps for myself in case my car gets stolen in Singapore/Malaysia, I am asking for opinion if it is worth doing it at all.

 

HOW IT WORKS:

 

- I hide an Android phone in my car that tracks the car's location (GPS). The phone can be any old and obsolete Android phone that is worth close to nothing. The phone is installed with an app (I develop) that runs non-stop in the background.

 

- If the car is stolen, I use my regular phone to view my car's location graphically on a map. This phone is installed with an app (I develop) that hides all complexity from the user, but technically it sends an SMS to the car phone and the car phone responds with its location in SMS. The app decodes the SMS and drop-pin on an offline map.

 

 

WHAT ARE ALREADY AVAILABLE:

 

- There are low cost GPS trackers but they are on 2G networks that won't exist soon.

- 3G trackers are expensive.

- Commercial car trackers are available and most require subscription.

- Most trackers use mobile data.

 

 

MY METHOD:

 

- Reuse old/obsolete phones that are lying around, so I don't buy anything.

- Use SMS to communicate so phones don't need overseas mobile data. SMS in Malaysia doesn't cost much and we use only when car gets stolen.

- My regular phone uses offline maps, no need to access online map such as Google map, so again no need mobile data.

 

 

 

What are you using to track your car ?

If I decide to develop the apps, I might give it away free to commenters here.

 

 

[Porker]

What if forgot to charge phone? Lol

 

[Thaiyotakamli]

What if the thief throws away the phone?

Normally hide the phone under seat or under rear passenger carpet or in place whereby people wont search.

[Showster]

Can it be something like the aircraft beacon device that "pings" signals every 10 min, 30 min or 1 hour?

 

This will help minimize battery usage and data usage.

 

Although not useful for speeding car, it might help recovery when the car is parked for longer periods.

 

Or better still , the frequency of pings can be remotely controlled.

[Macrosszero]

I think the TS's key points is that he does not want to use 3G, but to rely on the phone's GPS to send out position coordinates via text message in response to a text message query, thus not using any data.

 

Sounds like there is potential, but can the phone get a good position lock being hidden somewhere in a car?

 

You could also program the phone so it can be "armed" to automatically send a text message if it moves 1km away from the arming location (to account for GPS signal drift).

[Xers007]

Maybe you can also program a function that the user can lock down a certain gps location and if the location shifted, the phone will auto send sms to inform the user that the car has being shift. For indoor parking, the phone must be able to lock down the last gps location it can detect and if the car was shifted outdoor and it receive gps signal again it has to send sms.

 

One more thing is that an SMS has limit length or size, so you must research if it is sufficient to send the data to decode into a gps location or drop pin.

 

This silent SMS is interesting and might help your "project"

Silent SMS

In Germany in 2010 almost half a million "silent SMS" messages were sent by the federal police, customs and the secret service "Verfassungsschutz" (offices for protection of the constitution).^[71] These silent messages, also known as "silent TMS", "stealth SMS" or "stealth ping", are used to locate a person and thus to create a complete movement profile. They do not show up on a display, nor trigger any acoustical signal when received. Their primary purpose was to deliver special services of the network operator to any cell phone. The mobile provider, often at the behest of the police, will capture data such as subscriber identification IMSI.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Short_Message_Service#Message_size

 

It is indeed an idea but is it worth the time to do a not or buying an off the shelf solution is more worthy? If you really develop it, i dont mind to trial for you but you cannot have another hidden program running in the background to track/locate me.

Edited December 3, 2015 by Xers007

[Jman888]

what happen after you know where the car location (say Penang)?

 

these people usually chop chop take out the parts and dump the car at deserted area, too late when you found it.

[SuPerBoRed]

refine your method.. rather than asking end user to have a spare phone lying ard.. its really not difficult to have a specialized,hidden and standalone apparatus that functions as a GPS..  

 

then.. patent and pitch your idea to the banks in sgp.. who are the true owners of some cars here...

 

sell them/piece... = HUAT AH!!!  

 

remember to buy me makan...   

[Watwheels]

GPS has its limitations. Eg. Line of sight to the satellites. If the car is in the basement, in a tunnel or surrounded by tall buildings it will not work or be accurate. That's why the use of 3G. The phone network has better coverage dan the GPS coverage. Best is to have both. The phone battery life is also an issue especially when you have both GPS and 3G on plus you mention an older smartphone. Make sure you spent money on a new battery.

 

As for apps I think there are already some tracking apps available.

Edited December 4, 2015 by Watwheels

[BanCoe]

Wow!!   so many people cannot sleep at night when freebies are going to be given out TS is a good Santa Claus

Anyway I got no $0.02 to give ; Keep the ideas rollin', have a great TGIF and weekend   

[Watwheels]

What if forgot to charge phone? Lol

 

Best when old android phones hang or crash.

[The_Bear]

Seems like this app is designed for Malaysia in mind... They will likely steal your phone first.

[SalimTan]

Xers007: "...  lock down a certain gps location and if the location shifted..."

Seohster: "... 'pings' signals every 10 min, 30 min or 1 hour?..."

Jman888: "... take out the parts and dump the car at deserted area, too late when you found it..."

=> Good idea. I can make it such that the car-phone regular logs the GPS and the absence of GPS. When I leave my car, I use my pocket-phone to remotely armed the car-phone. When the car is moved or the car is shaken or lifted (using phone's motion detector), the car-phone sends an SMS alert to my pocket-phone.

 

Xers007: "...Silent SMS"

=> You are right, I am using that for the car-phone. The app runs in the background and covertly grab GPS data and communicates via SMS. There will be no traces of such activities in the phone.

 

Xers007: "...buying an off the shelf solution is more worthy..."

SuPerBoRed: "... standalone apparatus that functions as a GPS..."

=> Off-shelf devices are available and 99% use 2G only. We need 3G version because no more 2G soon. Its costly, and usually require mobile data and monthly subscription to the device manufacturer. Not worthy when I go cowboy-land only occasionally.

 

Xers007: "...but you cannot have another hidden program running in the background to track/locate me"

=> It is technically possible to track smart phone users who are not careful. Especially those phones that are jail-broken (iOS) and rooted (Android).

 

Macrosszero: "...does not want to use 3G..."

=> Actually we must use 3G network for the SMS, because 2G networks are being phased out. We just don't use mobile data.

 

lausai88: "..Can use find lost phone from apple.."

=> To save cost I use only old phone. Also, no mobile data is used. That Apple feature not suitable.

 

Thaiyotakamli: "..What if forgot to charge phone?..."

=> Change it while driving, hide it when you leave it unattended. Battery usually last 2 to 3 days.

 

Weez911: "...What if the thief throws away the phone? ..."

=> The last location would already be logged. Thief has no clue that the phone is a tracking device because the SMS messages are not displayed.

 

Mercury1: "...Malaysia also no point IMO since the car will be on route to a chop shop not to mention data reception on the highway is spotty at best..."

=> Actually it is for cowboy-land. The last location is logged, so we know where their shop is at. No mobile data plan subscription is needed, just SMS.

 

Thaiyotakamli: "..Normally hide the phone under seat or under rear passenger carpet or in place whereby people wont search..."

=> Under the seat, boot, behind the dash board. All ok for SMS signal.

 

Watwheels: "...I think there are already some tracking apps available..."

=> Yes there are but doesn't work as my method. They have 1 or 2 stars rating and not field tested for cowboy-land.