PUNE: For years, vehicle tracking in India’s transport industry was largely about knowing where a vehicle was and whether it was following its designated route. That is beginning to change with the transport operators increasingly looking beyond basic GPS tracking to use vehicle data to anticipate mechanical failures, monitor driver behaviour, improve fuel efficiency, and reduce operating costs.
Nearly 80 companies have entered the VLTD market, including Intangles Lab, Lumax Ituran, Jio Things, an IoT subsidiary of Jio Platforms, ZF Commercial Vehicle Control Systems India, Etrans Solutions and Containe Technologies.
Such a shift is significant for an industry that operates on thin margins and struggles with high logistics costs. For truck operators, whose margins are typically in the single digits at 4-5%, even a modest improvement in vehicle utilisation or a reduction in unplanned stoppages can make a difference to profitability.
The AIS-140 standard mandates the installation of Vehicle Location Tracking Devices (VLTDs) in all new commercial vehicles and their integration with the government portal. Existing vehicles must also install them when goods carriers renew permits or obtain fitness and pollution certificates.
The requirement has drawn resistance from transport operators, with device acquisition costs ranging from Rs 5,000 to Rs 15,000 and monthly subscriptions costing Rs 500-1,500 per vehicle.
However, the technology is finding applications beyond regulatory compliance. For instance, Tamil Nadu and Rajasthan are using tracking devices to monitor the transportation of minerals and stones to curb illegal quarrying and unauthorised movement of minerals.
Schools are deploying them to monitor driver behaviour and improve student safety. Truck and bus operators are using vehicle data to improve service reliability, reduce breakdowns and minimise unplanned stoppages. Anup Patil, CEO of Intangles Lab, a physics-based deep-tech predictive AI company, said technology can help address some of the structural inefficiencies in the transport sector.
Intangles recently launched a range of AIS-140-certified products. Its technology converts real-world vehicle data into predictive intelligence, helping fleet operators identify potential problems before they result in breakdowns. The company’s device can capture 450 signals from a vehicle.
The market is also attracting international technology players. Israeli technology company Ituran has entered India, while electric mobility maker Omega Seiki Mobility (OSM) has partnered with it to bring connected-vehicle solutions to its fleet.
Uday Narang, chairman of OSM, said the company is looking to move beyond vehicle tracking towards intelligent mobility.
“We believe the future of electric mobility will be driven not just by vehicle electrification but also by intelligent data, predictive diagnostics, battery performance monitoring and operational efficiency.
Smarter Mobility
Conventional GPS tracks location and routes; predictive systems flag potential faults before breakdowns
It can also track vehicle health, driver behaviour and fuel efficiency to reduce breakdowns and costs
Nearly 80 companies have entered India’s vehicle location tracking device (VLTD) market
The sector is also attracting international technology players
