South African security and fleet technology company DigitFMS has launched a new car tracker called the Digit D-Micro7. The company believes it is the smallest tracking device in the country, MyBroadband reported.
The Bluetooth tracker is about 21mm long, 9.5mm wide and 4mm thick. It can rest on a R5 coin without going over the edges of the coin.
“Larger trackers can only be fitted where there is room for them, and a tracker that is found can be removed,” the company said. “The D-Micro7 is aimed at that gap. Its size allows it to be fitted where larger trackers cannot go, which makes it harder to find and remove.”
The device is made to be hidden inside vehicles and other powered items. It can work as a second layer of recovery next to a main tracker. It can also be used on items that would not justify a full tracking unit.
DigitFMS said the tracker should not be seen as a fleet management device. The company said it does not replace a GPS tracking system.
The D-Micro7 does not send its location directly. Instead, its signal is picked up by nearby mobile phones that work with the system and are within Bluetooth range. It has no built-in internet connection, since that would need a SIM card slot or an eSIM chip.
The tracker does not need its own battery because it runs on power from the car. It uses about 6mA at 12V. This lets it stay connected to the vehicle battery and stay online when the car is switched off.
Locations picked up by the device are shown in the DigitWeb tracking platform and the Digit apps. These points are used to build a trip report. The report shows an estimate of the distance travelled and the general route taken.
According to the company, the tracker works with many kinds of vehicles. These include motorcycles, cars, trucks, boats and golf carts.
It can also be fitted to expensive powered equipment such as generators, gate motors, displays, computers and servers. The company said it works in temperatures from minus 20 to 60 degrees Celsius.
Bluetooth trackers became popular after Samsung and Apple launched their Galaxy Tag and AirTag products in 2021. Because these trackers do not use GPS, which needs a lot of power, they can run on much smaller batteries.
The launch comes as some vehicle insurers in South Africa ask for high-risk vehicles to have more than one tracking device. MyBroadband reported that Santam increasingly requires several trackers in vehicles such as the Toyota Hilux, Ford Ranger and Volkswagen Polo.
DigitFMS said insurers have not yet approved the D-Micro7. “The D-Micro7 is designed to complement, rather than replace, an insurer-approved tracking system,” the company said.
“Continuous real-time tracking remains the job of a primary tracker, with the D-Micro7 adding a hidden layer behind it,” it added.
The device is sold through the DigitFMS branch network. “Branches can advise on whether the device suits a particular vehicle or asset, and on installation,” the company said.
Source: this article is based on reporting by MyBroadband. Image: MyBroadband. Written with the help of AI and published by the Tzaneen Voice Business desk. See our Editorial Standards.
Anelisa Nkuna covers business and money news for Tzaneen Voice. Anelisa reports on the rand, fuel prices, interest rates, jobs, Eskom, Transnet, farming and company results. The aim is simple: explain what the numbers mean for household budgets, small businesses and workers in South Africa.