South Africa has several major vehicle tracking companies that are not only successful locally but have expanded across numerous foreign markets. Vehicle theft is rife in South Africa, creating a lucrative opportunity for those with innovative tracking solutions.
Official police crime statistics show that 37,402 cars and motorcycles were stolen during the 2021/2022 financial year which amounts to more than a 100 vehicles per day. That excludes the 20,923 carjackings in the country during the same period — roughly 57 per day.
Certain car models have become such big targets that insurers demand their customers install more than one vehicle tracking device. The odds of recovering a stolen vehicle increase significantly if it is fitted with a high-quality tracking device. Even if your insurer does not insist that you install one, a tracking device can be helpful if you consider your car or another moveable asset a prized possession.
In addition to helping recover a stolen vehicle, you can also use the data collected by a tracking device to keep track of distances travelled for tax rebates if your car is used for work. Furthermore, many tracking services offer additional peace of mind with features that support emergency accident response and security services.
Below are six of the biggest and most trusted vehicle tracking brands currently operating in South Africa.
Beame and Matrix
JSE-listed company MiX Telematics, with a market capitalisation of R3.5 billion as of 14 April 2023, owns two vehicle tracking and recovery brands — Beame and Matrix. Founded in South Africa as Matrix Vehicle Tracking in 1995, MiX Telematics has expanded its services to over 120 countries. Its latest data showed it actively managed 914,000 mobile assets.
Aside from South Africa, the company has offices in the UK, US, Australia, Brazil, Mexico, Uganda, and the United Arab Emirates, and employs more than 1,000 people. It changed its name to MiX Telematics after merging with Omnibridge in 2007.
Its newer solution — Beame — focuses on simplicity, affordability, and quick installation. The Beame recovery device differs from many other units as it is fully wireless and self-powering. That enables easy fitment to various vehicles — including motorcycles, quad bikes, trailers, and caravans. Subscribing to Beame costs from R99 per month over 36 months. This price can be lower if taken out with an insurance policy.
The larger and more established solution — Matrix — primarily focuses on personalized services for passenger vehicle solutions but also offers solutions for fleet vehicles. Matrix boasts a much more extensive set of features than Beame, including a panic button, border alerts, geo-lock alerts, crash notifications, and no-go zone warnings. Customers can also add the Beame recovery service to their Matrix subscription. When signing up directly through Matrix, the cheapest plan on offer starts at R89 per month over 36 months. This price can be lower if taken out with an insurance policy.
Matrix and Beame customers have access to the Matrix Vehicle Tracking app.
This article was originally published by MyBroadband. Read the full article on mybroadband.co.za