Systems and methods for vehicle tracking

Abstract

The invention concerns a vehicle tracking network including a plurality of subscriber vehicles and a control-center; and systems and methods for tracking vehicles, which are subscribers to such vehicle tracking network. In certain implementations, the method for tracking a subscriber vehicle includes the following operations carried out at the subscriber vehicle: monitoring operation of one or more services related to at least one of a wireless network communication service and positioning service associated with the subscriber vehicle; upon detecting a failure in at least one of said services, generating a corresponding distress signal encoded to be identifiable by other subscriber vehicle(s) of the vehicle tracking network; and broadcasting the encoded distress signal such that it is detectable by one or more of the other subscriber vehicles of the vehicle tracking network, which are located in the vicinity of the subscriber vehicle broadcasting the distress signal. Another subscriber vehicle(s), which receive the distress signal, may thereby initiate automatic notification of the condition of the vehicle broadcasting the distress signal to the control center.

1 . A vehicle security system comprising a control center configured and operable for establishing a vehicle network and securing a plurality of vehicles being vehicle subscribers of said vehicle network; wherein the control center is configured and operable for establishing an ad-hoc communication channel with any subscriber vehicle of said network to obtain data indicative of a status of the subscriber vehicle; and wherein establishing said ad-hoc communication comprises providing a communication channel with at least one other subscriber vehicle of said network for which uni-lateral communication has been established with said subscriber vehicle.