We have already reported several times about the increasingly frequent problems with charging cable theft and the industry's first countermeasures. A new and much-requested approach is now being rolled out in the UK by fast charging provider InstaVolt. Cable theft is described as a “rapidly growing crime impacting the UK’s electric vehicle infrastructure, causing significant downtime, loss of investment and disruption to drivers.”
Together with Trackit247, InstaVolt says it plans to introduce what it claims is the industry's first live GPS tracking system “to counteract the increasing threat of charging cable theft.” As part of the initiative, GPS trackers will be installed in charging cables across the InstaVolt network, with the stated aim of being able to track stolen cables in real time.
InstaVolt is the first in the industry to introduce live GPS tracking to combat the growing threat of charging cable theft. In collaboration with Trackit247, this initiative will install live GPS devices in charging cables across InstaVolt's nationwide network to track stolen cables in real time. InstaVolt has more than 2,000 charging points in operation in the UK and plans to expand to 11,000 charging points by 2030.
According to the company, the devices send location updates every three seconds – each charging cable is connected to a location via a geofence. The company says the technology works by geo-fencing the charging location and “registers any movement outside the designated area, triggering an immediate alert to InstaVolt's 24-hour security control center.” However, InstaVolt does not publish any further details about the tracker itself – presumably to prevent thieves from finding ways to get around it.
“By leveraging GPS technology, we are setting new standards for how the industry can deter criminals, protect infrastructure and support law enforcement,” said Delvin Lane, CEO of InstaVolt. “Cable theft is a growing challenge for our industry, threatening the trust of electric vehicle drivers and undermining investment in charging infrastructure. By introducing live GPS tracking in collaboration with our partners at Trackit247, we are taking decisive action to protect our network and help police combat these crimes.”
Source: Info via email
This article was first published by Sebastian Schaal for the German edition of electrive
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