Thatcham Approved Trackers

What are Thatcham Approved Trackers?

Since the 90s, Thatcham trackers have been protecting valuable vehicles. Thatcham is a testing and safety non-profit organisation set up by insurance groups to monitor aftermarket security hardware for the automotive industry. They now have over 180 staff in their Berkshire centre and are the founding members of the  ‘Research Council for Automobile Repairs’ (RCAR) and part of the European New Car Assessment Programme (Euro NCAP). Thatcham Approved Trackers or Thatcham trackers are trackers they have rigorously tested for effectiveness and safety. So, when you buy one, you can remain confident that it will work when you need it to. 

What are the benefits of installing a Thatcham Approved Tracker?

While you can buy cheap trackers online from overseas, they don’t come with any sort of guarantee. Weather conditions, tampering and road wear could cause them to fail. But with Thatcham trackers, you are certain of their provenance and durability. If your vehicle is stolen, you’ll want a tracking device that you can trust. Thatcham trackers work abroad and they’re endorsed by most leading car makers. That means that; should the worst happen, you have the highest chance of quickly recovering your vehicle from the thieves. With car thefts at an all-time high, many insurers require that you fit a vehicle tracker and that it is one of the approved Thatcham trackers. But not only do you want to buy Thatcham trackers, but you also want them installed by Thatcham-approved installers too. Trackerteam has a UK-wide network of approved installers who can attend your site to get your Thatcham tracker fitted with less hassle. And it’s inclusive in our prices as well.

What is Automatic Driver Recognition?

All premium car trackers use Automatic driver recognition (ADR). This technology uses little tags to identify approved drivers. You can keep them on your keychain or in your wallet. If someone tries to move your car and they’ve not got an ID tag on them, you’ll get an alert. Now, maybe you know the person and you’re not worried about it. That’s fine. But if you confirm that is not an approved journey, the tracking will immediately kick in. Most Thatcham trackers allow you to see the speed, direction and route that your car is taking during this monitoring phase. This can help with a quicker recovery. You can provide this information to the police or (if the car has been abandoned) go and collect it yourself when it comes to a sustained stop. Remember, that it might not be in drivable condition and you may need to contact a towing company or roadside repair services to complete the recovery of your premium vehicle.

What are the Thatcham Categories?

Thatcham trackers used to be called Category 5 but now they have been relabelled as S5. You’ll want to fit S5 Thatcham trackers on any high-value vehicle. In fact, most Insurance companies just require it in order for your car to get coverage. S5 Thatcham trackers have the most desirable features and provide the highest level of safety for your premium vehicle. They require ADR or driver ID features.

This differs from S7 Thatcham trackers which used to be called category 6 or category 7. These trackers aren’t required to have ADR but they will still have excellent tracking features to protect your vehicle in case it is stolen. For most vehicles, S7 Thatcham trackers provide the right amount of features to satisfy insurance requirements.