Breakdown tracking

stoke1863 · 12 Jan 2011 at 16:42

Hi motors sorry for the very silly question just need to get a few things straight.

Im doing a project at uni. Its a web application you can run on your phone so that if you breakdown and you have no idea where you are it will send your lcoation to to the breakdown company.

In reality when you breakdown in an unknown location how do the companies track you?

I presume via your signal from your phone using the cell tower lcoation? Do only the big companies do this?

has anyone experinced this? and if so how accurate was it

DM · 12 Jan 2011 at 16:50

I just tell them what road im on.

stoke1863 · 12 Jan 2011 at 16:51

DiamondMark said:
I just tell them what road im on.

as would most.

Just interested what would happen if some absolutely clueless person rang up and didnt even know what road they were on

DM · 12 Jan 2011 at 16:53

stoke1863 said:
as would most.

Just interested what would happen if some absolutely clueless person rang up and didnt even know what road they were on

Hmmmm i dont know i suppose you sort of describe how you got to the road with no name.

4T5 · 12 Jan 2011 at 16:59

I've got a compass app on my phone that gives my location or I can use the Google maps app to tell me where i am if I'm stupid enough not to know.

Felix · 12 Jan 2011 at 22:00

I had thought of this long ago but never got round to doing it however reading in the paper the other day and the AA was advertising an app for this.

Edit: Here the link http://www.theaa.com/breakdown-cover/index.jsp#the-aa-app

[TW]Fox · 12 Jan 2011 at 22:03

I already have an application that does exactly this, provided by The AA.

Naf · 12 Jan 2011 at 22:06

Wouldn't an app like you describe only be available to smart phones?

Don't all smart phones have google maps (or similar) as standard?

Surely you could access google maps via the same method as such an app (3G/Wireless) so it wouldn't make sense?

To me it is a bit pointless, unless I've misinterpreted it.

Edit - just seen the video posted above. Still not too sure it's worthwhile though, it's just the same as locating yourself on google maps and then ringing the AA - but without having to bother to even look as to where you are as the phone does all the work.

Felix · 12 Jan 2011 at 22:22

It takes the faff out of having to open google maps, pin pointing yourself and giving the street name etc, some roads aren't named either. Where as with an app you could press 1 button, it send the location to the AA and thats it.

The RAC or Green flag had a similar feature where they could locate you from your cell location, where as the apps probably use GPS.

no_1_dave · 12 Jan 2011 at 23:19

[TW]Fox;18213972 said:
I already have an application that does exactly this, provided by The AA.

Does the AA app work if you have AA through your bank account?
You get a different number to call when it's through your bank account that's all.

Janesy B · 12 Jan 2011 at 23:25

You don't need to be an AA member to use the app.

Disco Boy · 12 Jan 2011 at 23:28

Would an app which tells you where you are not be useful for this, as well as a range of other things? I'm surprised that nobody has made one yet...

Fr0dders · 13 Jan 2011 at 00:12

the AA has ...

bledd · 13 Jan 2011 at 00:16

Signal not based on GPS is only accurate to about 1000m, typically..

My TomTom is in my car, this will give exact co-ordinates

Memphis · 13 Jan 2011 at 00:21

Wasn't aware of The AA app before this thread. It's now installed

. Chears guys.

stoke1863 · 13 Jan 2011 at 01:56

Yes it is useless.

Its just a uni project nothing more, obviously people with a brain will already use there smartphone to locate them selfs. Honestly i don't care this is not a comerical project and will never be released