Can Apple AirTag Be Used As a Car Tracker?

When Apple released the AirTag in 2021, it was marketed as a simple way to keep track of small personal belongings such as keys, wallets, and backpacks etc. Integrated with Apple’s “Find My” app, the tiny device quickly became popular for people who wanted peace of mind in everyday life.

This raises an interesting question: can an AirTag double up as a low-cost car tracker? With vehicle thefts rising across the US, more than 1 million cars were stolen in 2022, according to the National Insurance Crime Bureau (NICB). Some drivers wonder if slipping an AirTag into the glove compartment could act as a safeguard. While it may sound like a clever workaround, the reality is entirely different.

Below, we explain why AirTags are not built for this purpose and why a dedicated car GPS tracker is needed to protect your vehicle.

How Do Apple AirTags Work for Tracking?

On the surface, AirTags appear promising. They run on a replaceable coin battery that lasts about a year, so there is little day-to-day maintenance. Pairing with an iPhone is straightforward, and Apple’s “Find My” network uses millions of Apple devices worldwide to help pinpoint lost items.

This means that if your car goes missing, the AirTag could, in theory, update its location whenever it passes close enough to an Apple device. For example, if someone drives off with your vehicle and another iPhone user happens to be nearby, the location might pop up in your “Find My” app.

This possibility tempts some drivers to treat the AirTag as a budget substitute for a GPS tracker. Unfortunately, there are several problems with relying on it for vehicle security.

Why AirTag Car Tracking Fall Short

  • Privacy Features Work Against You

Apple designed AirTags with strong anti-stalking measures. If an AirTag is traveling with someone who is not the owner, their iPhone will eventually alert them that an unknown tracker is nearby. For car owners, this means a thief could easily receive a warning that an AirTag is hidden in the vehicle. Instead of helping recover the car, the notification could prompt the thief to find and toss the AirTag out.

On r/Cartalk, a user highlighted the flaw clearly:

Even AirTag users dont recommend the device for car tracking: 

These real-world discussions underline the same conclusion: AirTags are excellent for lost keys, but unreliable and easily compromised when it comes to car security.

  • Limited Precision and Range

AirTags work well for misplaced house keys in a busy city, but less so for a stolen vehicle moving through areas with fewer Apple users, since it uses Bluetooth and nearby Apple devices. If your car ends up in a rural region or in a garage, the chances of a location update drop sharply.

  • No Support in an Emergency

Perhaps the biggest drawback is that AirTags do not connect to monitoring centers or law enforcement. If your vehicle is stolen, you are on your own with whatever location data the AirTag provides. With GPS trackers like those from PAJ GPS, stolen-vehicle tracking is supported by 24/7 monitoring services that can communicate directly with authorities, increasing the chance of quick recovery.

Why GPS Car Trackers Are a Safer Choice Than AirTags?

Our dedicated GPS trackers are made with vehicle security in mind. PAJ GPS tracker’s functionality is more sophisticated than any AirTags.

  • Real-time positioning:  You receive updates all the time using GPS and cellular networks, not just when the next phone is nearby.
  • Geofencing alerts: Notifications are sent to you the very second your vehicle leaves the area you defined it to be in.
  • 24/7 monitoring assistance:  Monitoring assistance teams can partner with law enforcement agencies for quicker recovery rather than you waiting.
  • Proactive Alerts: Get immediate notifications if the vehicle moves/loses power/ starts its ignition, or faces any voltage drops.

These features are designed for vehicle owners, making them more secure and reliable than a consumer item designed for tracking lost luggage. 

Yes, AirTags do their job and help you find lost personal property. They are easy to use and cleverly integrated into Apple’s ecosystem. When it comes to security, however, they are simply not enough.

For anyone serious about protecting their car, a professional GPS tracker such as those from PAJ GPS is the safer investment. With real-time tracking, dedicated monitoring, and tracking systems geared towards vehicle recovery, the GPS tracking system from PAJ GPS offers a level of vehicle security that AirTag car tracking do not offer.

Don’t take chances with car theft. Protect your vehicle today with a PAJ GPS tracker.