By Stanley G Pinto for Times of India 

Mangalore, Jun 21: If RV College of Engineering students developed an anti-car theft device using Global System for Mobile Communication (GSM) network, the students at P A College of Engineering here have gone a step ahead. They have combined both GSM and Global Positioning System (GPS) on a mobile, to develop an economical Vehicle Tracking System (VTS). Also, the owner can check the vehicle condition any number of times using GSM, even in the absence of mobile network. 

GPS technology can locate a vehicle in 10 minutes using Navstar (Navigational System for Timing and Ranging). “More accuracy can be achieved, but the signals used for locating a vehicle within two minutes have been encrypted by the US department of defence,’’ says Chetan, one among the trio who has developed this VTS. 

Apart from this, their unit can incorporate as many as 16 features, which can include vehicle immobilisation, intimation about over speeding, on board fire, collision, etc. The unit costs a tad more than remote central locking unit used for cars. 

This invention of the final year Electronics and Communications (E&C) students Chethan, Prem and Rexon uses an on-board tracking unit that is placed in the vehicle and a mobile phone. 

The onboard unit has a micro-controller programme to send an SMS about the location of the vehicle. This helps the owner to track the vehicle at any point of time. At the same time it monitors onboard fire, mishaps and in case of any such emergency sends an appropriate SMS to the owner. 

In case of over speeding, simultaneous warnings are provided to the driver and the owner. The owner can send short messages to the driver, which can be read by the driver on the LCD. All the controls (stereo, air conditioning, ignition etc.) on the dashboard can be switched on by the owner by just sending an SMS. 

And finally, the GPS helps the driver to n av i g at e through unknown terrain. 

The students won the first place in the ICPC 2006. The team was helped by Prof. Rafeeq Ahmed head, department of E & C and prof. Prakash Shetty. 

For further information  contact dchethan@hotmail.com.

In case of any such emergency micro-controller programme sends an SMS to the owner.

If over speeding, simultaneous warnings are provided to the driver and the owner.

If properly packaged, the unit will not even be bigger than a telephone unit.

Owner can switch on stereo and A/C by sending an SMS.