International Truck & Engine Corp, is offering factory- installed electronic theft-deterrent and tracking systems for its medium and heavy trucks.

“Whether it is a propane truck, a delivery truck or a tractor-trailer, the ability to prevent truck theft or to track its location is extremely important,” said Rob Swim, International’s director for vehicle marketing strategy. “We’ve developed a system that helps prevent truck thefts, or that can track a truck’s location at all times.”

With the theft-deterrent system, a truck can be started, but an access code must be entered within seven seconds or the engine will shut down, said Swim. The seven-second delay is a safety feature for drivers who may have to move a truck a short distance in an emergency, he noted. But if the code is entered incorrectly too many times, it can be programmed to send an alert to a designated cell phone.

The designated-phone feature can be combined with International’s new Aware Vehicle Intelligence (AVI) truck-tracking system to enable managing the system from a fleet manager's desktop, noted Swim.

AVI is a telematics solution that allows authorized individuals to monitor trucks in real-time through a password-protected Internet connection. The system tracks the truck's exact location, direction of travel and even how fast it is going.

Other features include the ability to set up a “geofence” -- a virtual electronic boundary on a map where trucks should not cross, said Swim. The system also reveals when a highway tractor veers off course on an Interstate highway, he added. If a truck appears to be taking a different or a suspicious route, the geofence can alert a fleet manager who can investigate further to see if it is a troublesome situation or just a detour due to road construction.

“This new technology gives the trucking industry the ability to keep closer tabs on the thousands of trucks on America's roadways,” said Swim. “It provides a better situation for drivers, fleet managers and law-enforcement officials.”