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What Cars Have GPS Tracking Built-In?

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Increased safety, Fuel efficiency, Lower insurance premiums, Improved driving, Better fleet management. These are some benefits offered by GPS trackers.

These trackers offer another significant benefit – theft recovery. Did you know in the first half of 2023, about 500,000 vehicles were reported as stolen in the US?

GPS tracking is a comprehensive solution that can locate your car and help with recovery. It can provide insights into your vehicle’s health and the driver’s driving behavior.

You can choose to install third-party GPS trackers in your car or buy the ones with built-in GPS tracking. Today, I will focus on cars with built-in tracking systems.

These systems are not yet at par with specialized car GPS tracking devices, but they come close.

Some of these built-in GPS systems offer features like a vehicle finder, remote start and stop, door lock and unlock, roadside assistance, customized alerts, vehicle health reports, maintenance alerts, and more.

I have gone through several brands, makes, and models, researching what cars have GPS tracking built in. I have looked at their features and usability, considered customer experiences, and spoken to family and friends who own such cars.

In this article, I will cover five car brands that have built-in GPS tracking and their features.

What Cars Have GPS Tracking Built-In?

Most new cars these days have GPS capabilities built-in. These fully functional GPS systems can help you find and navigate to places, find your car, remotely control it, provide vehicle health reports, and more.

Here are some car manufacturers that offer GPS systems:

1. Ford

ford

FordPass is an app that allows you to operate remotely, locate, and inspect your car. With FordPass Connect, you can use a 4G LTE Wi-Fi hotspot. This feature is limited to newer Ford models.

You can locate your car under the vehicle section of the FordPass app. Clicking on ‘vehicle locator’ will show you the last location of your car.

You cannot actively track your vehicle like you can with a GPS device, but you can record your trips with the ‘My Journeys’ feature. You can track miles, average speed, and duration. It also provides insights into driving habits with hard braking and rapid acceleration. You can find the feature in your account section.

2. Honda

Honda

HondaLink is the app that lets you connect to your Honda vehicle and also Alexa-enabled devices.

The app’s features are divided into five categories: – Basic, Link, Security, Remote, and Concierge.

The Basic and Link categories include complimentary features like vehicle guides, service appointments, vehicle health reports, and roadside assistance.

The other three feature categories are available on a paid basis. Under the Remote category, you can find the app’s GPS tracking capabilities. You can find your parked car by searching for the vehicle’s location on the app.

It includes a stolen vehicle locator. You can also set geofences and receive alerts when your car leaves or enters the set region.

3. Lexus

Lexus

You can connect to your Lexus vehicle with the Lexus app. You can find your vehicle and check its status using the Lexus Enform Remote service.

You can look up your car’s last known parked location on the app. Using maps on your smartphone, you can get directions to the location.

The service offers a feature called the Guest Driver Monitor. You can create customizable profiles for when your friends or family members borrow your car. You can set alerts for miles, speed, duration, and more. When the guest driver exceeds any set limits, you get alerts.

4. Nissan

Nissan

You can use the MyNissan App to connect to your Nissan vehicle. The app is compatible with select models from 2018 and newer.

You will need to subscribe to a premium version of the NissanConnect services to use features like ‘My Car Finder.’ With this feature, you can find your car’s location anytime, whether en route or parked.

Navigation is made easier with visual maps and spoken turn-by-turn directions. You can set alerts for boundary entry and exit, speed limits, miles, and curfews. You can look for points of interest beforehand and send them to your vehicle.

Other features include remote locking and unlocking, vehicle start and stop, and checking vehicle status.

5. BMW

BMW

You can use the My BMW App to connect a compatible smartphone to your BMW. Similar to the other apps mentioned above, you can find your car’s parked location on the map. The My BMW App also provides a remote 3D view of your vehicle’s surroundings.

You can look up addresses beforehand and send them to the BMW navigation system. In addition, the app offers real-time traffic updates.

You can look for vacant parking spots near your destination. You can also find gas stations, restaurants, and other points of interest along your way.

Other features include remote control over your vehicle, maintenance alerts, vehicle health reports, and payment notifications.

What are Alternatives to Built-In Car GPS Tracking?

A built-in GPS tracking system can be a good feature to have in your car. But not all cars offer this feature, or they may have limited functionality.

Here are some alternatives you can use to track your car:

1. GPS Tracking Devices

GPS Tracking Devices

Hardwired, OBD, and portable GPS devices are popular means for car tracking applications.

Hardwired and OBD trackers directly connect to your car. They use your car battery to work. They can provide additional information like vehicle health, driving habits, and accident detection apart from tracking capabilities.

On the other hand, portable GPS devices are battery-powered. These devices can be compact and can be concealed easily. You can place them in your car or mount them on a metal surface that does not get too hot.

2. Google and Apple Maps

You can save your parking location on Google and Apple Maps. You can attach an image or add text to save details like the parking lot number or the street name.

When it is time to return, you can search for the saved location on Maps. It will provide you with directions to your car. So you never have to worry about losing your car in crowded places.

3. Mobile Apps

Mobile Apps

You can use mobile apps to find your car’s parked location or track it. These apps typically need to be installed on a separate phone. But a basic phone with GPS and cellular capability should do the job.

You can leave the secondary phone in your car and track it using your primary phone.

FAQ’s

Do all new cars have GPS tracking built-in?

No. Built-in GPS tracking is not a mandatory feature for vehicles. But most new cars offer GPS tracking, which you can use or disable as per your preference.

How to check if your car has a GPS tracking device installed?

A car GPS tracking device can typically be found under the dashboard, glove box, seats, carpet, front or rear bumpers, or on the car’s underside.

Can I track my car using my phone?

Yes. You can use Google or Apple Maps or third-party mobile apps to track your car using your phone. You may have to place a secondary phone inside the car for the mobile apps to work.

Summary

Car GPS tracking systems can help you locate your car at all times. You can know where your loved ones are. It can help you find available parking spots near your destination.

It can provide insights into the driving habits of the driver. And help track vehicle status and maintenance.

Please note the list of cars mentioned above in response to the query, ‘What cars have GPS tracking built-in?’ is not exhaustive. But a starting point to help you understand the features on offer.

If the built-in GPS capabilities do not fulfill your requirement, you can always opt for third-party car GPS devices.

Check Out These Articles
How to Install a GPS Tracker in a Car?When Was GPS InventedHow To Track A Car With GPS
6 Easy Ways to Track A Car With GPSHow To Track A Car Without GPS Tracker?

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