Hardwired GPS Trackers for Heavy Vehicles and Complex Fleets

## Overview Hardwired GPS trackers are professionally installed in the vehicle by a qualified auto-electrician, connecting directly to the vehicle's power supply and — depending on the configuration — to the CAN bus, digital inputs, and relay outputs. This installation method provides maximum capability and permanence: the device operates regardless of ignition state, supports a full range of peripherals, and cannot be easily removed by a driver or thief. Hardwired units are the standard choice for HGVs, trucks, buses, coaches, heavy plant, and any vehicle where you need more than basic GPS tracking. ## Key Capability: Vehicle Immobilization Hardwired trackers with digital output capability can be connected to an immobilizer relay wired into the vehicle's starter or fuel pump circuit. This enables remote vehicle immobilization from the telematics platform — preventing the vehicle from being started until an authorized re-enable command is issued. This is a critical security feature for fleet theft prevention and unauthorized use prevention. See our On-Demand Vehicle Immobilization page for full details on the safety controls, authorization workflow, and audit logging. ## CAN Bus and Tachograph Integration For tachograph-equipped vehicles (most commercial vehicles over 3.5 tonnes in the EU), hardwired devices with FMS (J1939 CAN bus) capability can read driver card insertions, daily and weekly driving hours, rest periods, and vehicle motion data directly from the tachograph. This enables automated drivers' hours compliance monitoring and reporting without any manual data entry or card downloads. ## Multi-Sensor Connectivity A single hardwired device can serve as the connectivity hub for multiple sensors and peripherals: - **Temperature probes** for cold chain monitoring (up to 4 probes per device on supported models) - **Fuel level sensors** via 1-Wire or analog input for direct tank measurement - **Door and cargo sensors** via digital input for delivery and security monitoring - **RFID readers** for driver identification and unauthorized driver prevention - **Panic buttons** for driver duress alerts - **External cameras** on supported device models with camera input capability