GPS Tracking Solutions, a company in the Eqstra Holdings Group, has been awarded a 10 out of 10 VSS Certification for its GPS 007 Tracking device. VSS Administration is a technology driven company that specialises in vehicle security accreditation. The company has developed systems for the insurance and vehicle manufacturing market and supplies telematics product approval, tracking and recovery testing as well as product certification. Tests for South Africa are based on international standards. The tests utilize the Thatcham specification on electronic behaviours and have been altered to cater for South African road conditions.
The test includes two components. Firstly a bench test examines battery lifetime, reverse polarity, voltage, fluctuations, a drop test, a vibration test, magnetic influence, and input sensors. A road test checks the accuracy and responsiveness of the unit. The vehicle is then ‘stolen’ and the manufacturer is given an hour to find and recover the vehicle. Failure to do this will fail the unit. Testing is graded on accuracy and recovery. Once the unit has been approved, a certificate is issued and the approval status is recorded on the certificate. This certificate can be used for insurer approval.
“In South Africa, vehicle owners face tremendous risks and specialist requirements,” says Graeme Steyn, director at GPS Tracking Solutions. “It is vital that our products meet these requirements. VSS certification means our users can rest assured that the product they are using meets insurance requirements and ensures vehicle recovery in the event of theft.”
