PassTime GPS Mobile Asset Tracking Solutions
PassTime GPS Mobile Asset Tracking Solutions

How Car Dealerships Can Give Consumers Peace of Mind Against the Rise in Car Thefts

June 28, 2023

It’s been a roller-coaster ride for franchise, independent and Buy-Here-Pay-Here car dealerships since March 2020. The latest stomach-churning drop? Car theft. From December 2021 to December 2022, reported thefts rose by 50% in cities like Atlanta, Georgia, and El Paso, Texas, while it tripled in Dayton, Ohio. In 2022 alone, more than one million cars were stolen. That’s about two vehicles stolen every minute.

The rise in Kia and Hyundai car thefts

Kia and Hyundai car thefts skyrocketed in 2022, fueled, in part, by viral TikTok videos explaining how to hotwire the vehicles using USB cables. The Kia and Hyundai car thefts have gotten so bad that some insurance companies now refuse to insure them. With thieves using the vehicles’ own design and software weaknesses to their advantage, dealerships and consumers alike might feel hopeless and helpless. That’s where GPS systems for car dealerships come in.

Why GPS-tracking systems for car dealerships are key in car-theft prevention

There’s no single-solution anti-theft device for cars. Instead, there needs to be a multifaceted approach to car-theft prevention from multiple stakeholders. To start, vehicle makers need to improve their designs and software systems to better protect vehicles from theft, especially these thefts occurring by hacking into a vehicle’s ECM. Car dealerships also help by implementing a GPS-tracking system designed for car dealerships and consumers that uses battery-powered GPS devices.

GPS systems for car dealerships offer safe, fast and accurate recovery

With GPS tracking for cars, a dealership can manage, track and protect vehicles on and off the lot in seconds. If a car theft does occur, recovery can happen quickly and safely thanks to dual-location technology that uses both GPS and cellular tracking for cars. Whether a stolen vehicle is out in the open or concealed in a parking garage, warehouse or shipping container, dual-location GPS technology gives dealers the power to track vehicle assets with unprecedented accuracy. That provides critical peace of mind for dealers and consumers, plus it makes recovery times shorter and more cost-effective.

Battery-powered GPS tracking for car dealerships that’s stealthy, reliable and separate from vehicles’ systems

A third-party theft recovery system that is separate from the vehicle’s internal system may seem redundant or unnecessary, but actually has several key benefits.

For one, a potential car thief would have no ideas it is even on the vehicle. A small, battery-powered GPS device is easy to install discreetly: inside seats, glove compartments, consoles and trunks. With a magnetized case, you can install it on the undercarriage or in a wheel well. Plus, you can install and activate it in seconds, giving dealers—and consumers—instant insight and peace of mind.

Perhaps even more importantly, a  battery-powered GPS theft recovery system is separate from the vehicles’ engine control units (ECUs) that controls multiple systems. Because it is separate from the vehicle’s engine control units (ECUs) that control multiple systems, it is much less prone to software hacking and cannot be hacked by accessing the vehicle’s ECU.  

Even if they’re able to unlock the vehicle’s doors, disable an alarm or start the vehicle through the vehicle’s ECU systems, they won’t be able to disable the battery-powered device. And dealers and consumers are better positioned to protect your vehicles from theft.

Why PassTime’s InTouch VP is the best GPS system for car dealerships to protect against theft

PassTime continues to lead the industry with cutting-edge, GPS-tracking technologies and solutions. Our InTouch VP Theft Recovery System uses Encore, our iconic battery-powered device, to give you essential insights and tools to bolster your bottom line. Here’s how:

InTouch VP

  • Simple, reliable and accurate inventory management
  • Smartphone app gives you dashboard snapshots of assets in real time
  • Protection from car theft
  • Improved stolen vehicle recovery
  • Resell to the customer for additional revenue

InTouch VP uses Encore, giving customers:

  • Third-generation, battery-powered GPS device
  • Ultra-compact design (smaller than a deck of cards)
  • Super lightweight (2 ounces)
  • Dual-location technology with Beyond GPS™
  • Installs in seconds practically anywhere
  • Long-lasting 4+-year lifespan
  • Advanced lithium battery with low power consumption
  • Four flexible power modes:
    • Endurance: track assets twice a day automatically
    • Trip: Accelerometer gives you data on the start and end of each trip
    • Active: Full functionality for real-time tracking
    • Recovery: Full-power mode for vehicle recovery
  • Optional industrial-strength magnetized clam-shell case

At PassTime, we’re a true partner dedicated to your dealership’s success and car-theft prevention. Protect your dealership’s assets today. Your customer’s peace of mind depends on you. Get a free quote.

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