A vehicle tracking system combines the installation of an electronic device in a vehicle, or fleet of vehicles, with purpose-designed computer software

Computer software

Computer software, or just software, is a collection of computer programs and related data that provide the instructions for telling a computer what to do and how to do it....

 at least at one operational base to enable the owner or a third party to track the vehicle's location, collecting data in the process from the field and deliver it to the base of operation. Modern vehicle tracking systems commonly use GPS

Global Positioning System

The Global Positioning System is a space-based global navigation satellite system that provides location and time information in all weather, anywhere on or near the Earth, where there is an unobstructed line of sight to four or more GPS satellites...

 or GLONASS

GLONASS

GLONASS , acronym for Globalnaya navigatsionnaya sputnikovaya sistema or Global Navigation Satellite System, is a radio-based satellite navigation system operated for the Russian government by the Russian Space Forces...

 technology for locating the vehicle, but other types of automatic vehicle location

Automatic vehicle location

Automatic vehicle location is a means for automatically determining the geographic location of a vehicle and transmitting the information to a requester....

 technology can also be used.