Security Supertest 2003 - Tracking systems

Tracking devices alert the police or a central control room to car theft, enable the vehicle to be hunted down and often result in the arrest of the thieves. They have been available to motorists in the UK for more than a decade, but are now more sophisticated and accurate than ever.

Almost all operate on GPS satellite technology, but there are alternatives using radio beacons and systems which rely on mobile phone signals.

Many insurers offer a discount to those who install such systems, or stipulate that cars over a certain value must have a tracking device.

Most can be installed in one of several positions within the car, making it more difficult for thieves to find them and none announce their presence with stickers, so the thief will not know whether he is being tracked. The police agree that this is important to their success.

With so many to choose from and prices ranging from £500 to nearly £1000, What Car? has for the first time included tracking devices in its annual security tests. Click on forward button for results.