LoJack: Difference between revisions

LoJack Stolen Vehicle Recovery System
Type	Stolen Vehicle Recovery System
Inventor	William Reagan
Inception	1986
Manufacturer	Spireon
Website	lojack.com

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Revision as of 21:01, 9 June 2021

LoJack, also known as LoJack by Spireon, is a stolen vehicle recovery system that utilizes the latest GPS technology to locate users' vehicles from the LoJack app. Dealers can now check battery and inventory status, manage their lot, and send targeted marketing campaigns to their customers. Customers enjoy peace of mind knowing that they are able to locate their vehicles right at their fingertips.

History

The LoJack system was created and patented in 1979 by William Reagan, who went on to establish LoJack Corporation. The name "LoJack" was coined to be the "antithesis of hijack", wherein "hijack" refers to the theft of a vehicle through force.^[1]

Functionality

The core of the LoJack system is a small hardware device that utilizes GPS technology to locate vehicles without wasting the car battery. Integrated with PSAP, users can quickly contact the corresponding police department in the event of vehicle theft and recover their vehicles within 26 minutes of reporting the crime.

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-{{about|the LoJack vehicle tracking system|the LoJack company|CalAmp}}
+{{about|LoJack Vehicle Recovery System}}
 {{short description|Device that enables tracking of stolen vehicles}}
 {{Infobox product
-| title            = LoJack Stolen Vehicle Recovery System
+| title = LoJack Stolen Vehicle Recovery System
+| image_size = 250
-| image            = LoJack_product_logo.png
-| image_size       =
+| alt =
-| alt              =
+| caption =
+| type = Stolen Vehicle Recovery System
-| caption          =
+| inventor = William Reagan
-| type             = Vehicle, equipment and asset tracking and recovery system
+| inception = {{start date|1986}}
-| inventor         = William Reagan
+| manufacturer = Spireon
-| inception        = {{start date|1986}}
-| manufacturer     = [[CalAmp]]
 | current supplier =
-| last production  =
+| last production =
-| models           =
+| models =
-| website          = {{url|lojack.com}}
+| website = {{url|lojack.com}}
-| notes            =
+| notes =
 }}
+'''LoJack''', also known as LoJack by Spireon, is a stolen vehicle recovery system that utilizes the latest GPS technology to locate users' vehicles from the LoJack app. Dealers can now check battery and inventory status, manage their lot, and send targeted marketing campaigns to their customers. Customers enjoy peace of mind knowing that they are able to locate their vehicles right at their fingertips.
-'''LoJack''', also known as the '''LoJack Stolen Vehicle Recovery System''' (LoJack SVR), is a stolen vehicle recovery system that is integrated with law enforcement, enabling vehicles and equipment to be tracked and recovered by police. The system uses a hidden mounted transceiver and a tracking computer installed in police cars and aircraft, operating on a dedicated tracking frequency set aside by the [[Federal Communications Commission]].<ref name=twice1>{{cite web|url=https://www.twice.com/industry/lojack-founder-william-reagan-78-passes-away-7983 |title=LoJack Founder William Reagan, 78, Passes Away|website=twice.com |date=2013-07-08 |accessdate=2018-06-08}}</ref> The system combines recovery technology from LoJack, with [[telematics]] products and services from parent company [[CalAmp]].
 ==History==
-The LoJack system was created and patented in 1979 by William Reagan, who went on to establish LoJack Corporation. The name "LoJack" was coined to be the "antithesis of [[Carjacking|hijack]]", wherein "hijack" refers to the theft of a vehicle through force.<ref name=twice1/> In addition to offering vehicle recovery services, LoJack also provides a product that can assist in finding lost children, Alzheimer's patients and people suffering from dementia.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.lifewire.com/what-is-lojack-534878|title=What Is LoJack and How Does It Work?|last=Laukkonen|first=Jeremy|date=May 30, 2019|website=Lifewire|language=en|access-date=2019-08-14}}</ref>
+The LoJack system was created and patented in 1979 by William Reagan, who went on to establish LoJack Corporation. The name "LoJack" was coined to be the "antithesis of [[Carjacking|hijack]]", wherein "hijack" refers to the theft of a vehicle through force.<ref name="twice1">{{cite web|date=2013-07-08|title=LoJack Founder William Reagan, 78, Passes Away|url=https://www.twice.com/industry/lojack-founder-william-reagan-78-passes-away-7983|website=twice.com|accessdate=2018-06-08}}</ref>
 ==Functionality==
+The core of the LoJack system is a small hardware device that utilizes GPS technology to locate vehicles without wasting the car battery. Integrated with PSAP, users can quickly contact the corresponding police department in the event of vehicle theft and recover their vehicles within 26 minutes of reporting the crime.
-The core of the LoJack system is a small, silent [[radio transceiver]] that is discreetly installed in a vehicle. The vehicle is not marked as possessing a LoJack transceiver, and the location of the transceiver within the vehicle varies from one car to the next. Once installed, the unit and the vehicle's [[Vehicle identification number|VIN]] are registered in a [[database]] that interfaces with the [[National Crime Information Center]] (NCIC) system used by federal, state and local law enforcement agencies throughout the [[United States]]. In the event of a theft, a customer reports the incident to the police, who make a routine entry into the state police crime computer, including the stolen vehicle's VIN. This theft report is automatically processed by LoJack network computers, triggering a remote command to the specific LoJack unit in the stolen vehicle.<ref name=lifewire1>{{cite web|url=https://www.lifewire.com/what-is-lojack-534878 |title=What is LoJack, and How Does It Work?  |website=lifewire.com |date=2018-05-18 |accessdate=2018-06-08}}</ref>
-The command activates the LoJack unit to start sending out signals to LoJack police tracking computers on board some police cars. Every police car so-equipped within a 3-5 mile radius of the signal source will be alerted. The tracking units will display an [[alphanumeric]] reply code and an indication of the approximate direction and distance to the stolen vehicle. Based on the reply code, the police can obtain a physical description of the vehicle, including make ([[brand]]), model, color, VIN and [[license plate]] number. Police aircraft can also be equipped with tracking computers; airborne units can receive the ([[Line-of-sight propagation|line-of-sight]]) signals from further away than ground-based units. The signal is received in equipped police vehicles, utilizing a phased array antenna system, hence the four distinctive antennas on the roof. This provides the directional location tracking capabilities of the system.<ref name=lifewire1/>
-In addition to automobile theft recovery, LoJack systems are used to recover stolen construction equipment and motorcycles.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.forconstructionpros.com/construction-technology/equipment-monitoring-logistics/news/12275748/lojack-2015-construction-equipment-theft-study-reveals-trends-in-heavy-equipment-theft |title=LoJack 2015 Construction Equipment Theft Study Reveals Trends in Heavy Equipment Theft|website=forconstructionpros.com |date=2016-11-02 |accessdate=2018-06-11}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.cycleworld.com/2013/01/10/lojacks-top-theft-recovery-stories-of-2012 |title=LoJack's Top Theft Recovery Stories of 2012|website=cycleworld.com |date=2013-01-10 |accessdate=2018-06-11}}</ref>
-In 2013, LoJack announced that they will be releasing a device allowing for insurance companies to wirelessly monitor vehicles for driving habits and auto performance, and determine how safely their drivers are operating the vehicles.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.computerworld.com/article/2486217/lojack-system-will-allow-parents-auto-makers-and-insurance-companies-to-track-v.html|title=LoJack system will allow parents, auto makers and insurance companies to track vehicles|last=Mearian|first=Lucas|date=2013-11-25|website=Computerworld|language=en|access-date=2019-08-14}}</ref>
-===Frequency===
-LoJack transmits on a [[radio]] ([[Radio frequency|RF]]) [[carrier wave|carrier frequency]] of 173.075&nbsp;[[Hertz|MHz]]. Vehicles with the system installed send a 200&nbsp;[[millisecond]] (ms) chirp every fifteen seconds on this frequency. When being tracked after reported stolen, the devices send out a 200&nbsp;ms signal once per second.<ref>{{cite web
-|url=http://www.fcc.gov/Bureaus/Wireless/Orders/2000/da001987.txt|title=Request for Waiver of Section 90.20(e)(6)|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission|FCC]] (USA)|date=2000-08-31|accessdate=2008-05-31}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.autonews.com/article/19981026/ANA/810260722/how-lojack-works|title=HOW LOJACK WORKS|publisher=autonews.com|date=1998-10-26|accessdate=2018-07-20}}</ref>  The radio frequency transmitted by LoJack is near the [[Very high frequency|VHF]] spectrum used in North America by digital television channel 7,<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.csgnetwork.com/tvfreqtable.html|title=Television Frequency Table|accessdate=2008-05-31}}</ref> although there is said to be minimal interference due to the low power of radiation, brief chirp duration, and long interval between chirps.<ref>{{cite journal |url=http://edocket.access.gpo.gov/2006/E6-13743.htm|title=Private Land Mobile Services; Stolen Vehicle Recovery Systems - Proposed Rule|journal=[[Federal Register]]|volume=71|issue=163|date=2006-08-23|accessdate=2008-05-31}}</ref>
-==Brand extensions==
-LoJack LotSmart is an inventory management platform that allows dealers to monitor vehicle inventory, location and operational status. LoJack SureDrive is a related product that uses the same hardware as LotSmart and is a connected car app that provides crash notifications, speed alerts and early warning alerts if a user's car has been moved.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.digitaltrends.com/cars/calamp-suredrive-lojack-gps-vehicle-tracking/ |title=Connected-car peace of mind now on tap with LoJack's SureDrive car security platform |website=digitaltrends.com |date=2016-09-07 |accessdate=2018-06-08}}</ref>
 ==See also==
@@ Line 47: / Line 33: @@
 *[[Radio direction finder]]
 *[[Vehicle tracking system]]
-==References==
-{{reflist|30em}}
-==Further reading==
-*[[Ian Ayres]] and [[Steven Levitt]]: [https://academic.oup.com/qje/article-abstract/113/1/43/1892067?redirectedFrom=fulltext "Measuring Positive Externalities from Unobservable Victim Precaution: An Empirical Analysis of Lojack."] ''Quarterly Journal of Economics'', 1998, ''113''(1), pp.&nbsp;43–77
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