With technology evolving at a rapid pace, and with multiple businesses adopting new models such as real-time asset tracking, or subscription services, it is now possible to question our notions around security and trust. How do these social structures evolve and redefine our businesses to adapt to this new paradigm? Clément Moreau, CEO at GPS-tracker provider Invoxia gives his insights.
Smart, Internet-connected objects are increasingly omnipresent in our daily lives. Smartwatches, smartphones, cars, and even household appliances use advanced sensors and communication systems to enable real-time tracking and monitoring.
Beyond the obvious implications of health-tracking subscription services, such as those proposed by Apple and Withings, a parallel use has also emerged – that of real-time tracking and monitoring. Phones, audio devices, and even inert objects can now be geotagged with trackers. This gives rise to an invisible yet highly efficient network. And it makes it increasingly difficult for objects to be truly lost.
Such capabilities also allow us to question the necessity of ownership. Bicycle and scooter-sharing services would never have flourished without this tracking. And without the fleet managers who ensure that their assets remain perpetually traceable.
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Will the Notion of Threat Disappear?
Could this increased legitimacy of real-time tracking be the foundation of a new era of trust? Is a future where the very notion of theft disappears already upon us?
Far from being a mere security measure, object tracking also serves as a deterrent against theft. Objects can be constantly tracked through GPS systems, tracking apps, and RFID technologies. Our research has shown that stolen bikes equipped with a GPS tracker are ten times more likely to be retrieved. Why? Because the trackers allow interventions in the crucial first moments following the theft. A bike equipped with a tracker is typically recovered within 48 hours if stolen. This could discourage potential thieves since the prospect of having objects immediately retrieved renders the act of stealing almost obsolete.
Safe in the knowledge that our belongings are protected, people can focus on what really matters: living peacefully and sharing with others, rebuilding a new framework of security and trust. Imagine a world free of the fear of theft, where people can carry out interactions with greater freedom and transparency. By ensuring greater accountability and traceability, tracking technologies are bringing us closer to this reality.
No discussion of this kind is complete without considering the ethical implications of such traceability. Respect for privacy and data protection must form the core of this technological revolution, with tracking systems containing robust safeguards to prevent abuse and potential misuse. Reflecting on the balance between security and individual freedom is crucial to ensure that this transition to a fully connected world unfolds harmoniously. There is evidence that lawmakers are thinking about this. Europe’s GDPR is now an inspiration for nations worldwide, including the United States.
Bernard Haykel is a Professor of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton University. He has studied Saudi Arabia’s internal dynamics and its relations with the U.S. For him, there is a striking convergence between the Western focus on technology, and Saudi Arabia’s focus on religion as a means to alleviate theft. While Sharia law makes theft nearly unthinkable, for fear of punitive measures, technology could render it practically impossible.
The Era of Tracking
As tracking eventually becomes widespread, each of us must understand how it works, so we remain active participants in this shift. GPS tracking makes use of 3 components:
- The GPS itself enables the tracker to locate itself. It carefully interprets the messages coming from satellites that constantly fly around the earth
- The tracker uses a telecommunication network (cellular network or other low-power networks) to communicate its position to the third component
- A cloud infrastructure receives all information coming from the trackers. It keeps them secure and at the disposal of the users when they need to find where their trackers are moving.
Securing all three components as well as using and deploying worldwide solutions is key to trust in tracking technologies. And it is also important to benefit from all the positive impacts they can have.
As more new services using these tracking technologies emerge, we must ensure that the benefit of these services does not accrue to a few entities.
Lastly, the tracking of assets also opens up fascinating perspectives in shipping and logistics. As asset tracking becomes more widespread and affordable, one can imagine each transport package being tagged as such, allowing the customer much more precise detail on the location and estimated arrival of their shipment.
Logistics providers can similarly monitor these packages. Such precision will also allow transporters to expand operations in-house, rather than relying on third-party providers to optimize the post-purchase experience.
As tracking devices become increasingly accessible and integrated into our everyday lives, miniaturized to fit various possessions, the loss or theft of belongings should see a downward trend, all while opening up new channels for savvy businesses to exploit. By embracing this evolution, we can look forward to a world that is both more connected and safer—and perhaps, more trusting.
