REDEFINING VEHICLE SECURITY WITH BACKUP TRACKING

When asset finance companies in East Africa were faced with widespread vehicle theft and loan defaults, they needed more than just standard monitoring. Teltonika FMB920 vehicle tracker combined with EYE Beacon became the secret weapon in an environment where conventional solutions failed.

In the fast-paced cities and remote regions of Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, and Zambia, our client, a telematics service provider, was struggling with a critical challenge: protecting financed assets from tech-savvy criminals. With a recovery rate of less than 75% for vehicles and motorcycles, each loss meant a financial hit of around €5,000.

Before implementing the solution discussed further, car thieves were tampering with trackers, jamming signals, or completely removing GPS devices. The client had to install as many as four trackers per vehicle to maintain the visibility of their assets. This process added significantly to the cost and made the installation more complex and time-consuming.

THE POWER OF INVISIBILITY

The game changer was an elegantly simple solution: pairing Teltonika FMB920 trackers with EYE Beacons. While the primary FMB920 device provides traditional GPS tracking capabilities, the wireless EYE Beacon becomes the invisible guardian. Powered by Bluetooth® Low Energy technology, these beacons continue to transmit their unique IDs even if the main tracker is compromised – damaged, disconnected, vandalised, etc.

What makes it so ingenious is that it's based on an ecosystem. With over 100,000 FMB920 models deployed across East Africa, the telematics service provider has created an invisible tracking network. Every FMB920 in the field becomes a potential receiver of EYE Beacon signals from vehicles flagged for recovery.

Our customer has strategically placed FMB920 trackers at city exits, roundabouts, main roads, and various high-traffic areas. Whenever EYE Beacon of a tagged vehicle passes within effective Bluetooth® range, the system immediately establishes its location for tracking and recovery purposes.

FROM LOSS TO RECOVERY

The results speak for themselves. The recovery rate jumped from less than 75% to an impressive 99%, revitalising the logbook loan business, particularly in the motorcycle sector.

One notable case involved a black Land Cruiser marked for repossession in Nairobi, Kenya. Even though the main tracker had been vandalised, the vehicle repainted white, and the number plates changed, the installed EYE Beacon continued to transmit its unique ID signal. The vehicle was located by another FMB920 in a completely different city and was later successfully recovered.

Even more impressive was the recovery where a car was driven from Kenya to Zambia with its tracker disconnected. Thanks to the undetectable wireless beacon and our client's multi-country presence, the asset was recovered despite crossing international borders.

THE FUTURE OF ASSET SECURITY

The described method has transformed fleet management operations, eliminating the need for multiple installations of GPS trackers and providing proven asset security across the region.

Our client plans to extend the implementation of this innovative approach to financial institutions that provide asset financing services in East Africa. Reliability and cost-effectiveness make this telematics solution an excellent practice for any fleet asset protection.