This ESP32-Powered Device Can Track Vehicles

Valetron Systems, a startup company out of India, is looking to launch a new campaign on Crowd Supply soon. Their upcoming product, called the Valtrack V4, is a low-power 4G-LTE GPS tracking device meant to be used to keep tabs on vehicles — such as bikes, four-wheelers, cars, or trucks.

The Valtrack V4 is meant to be powered through vehicles batteries. As such it supports DC voltage inputs from 12V to 42V. It uses a Texas Instruments TPS54240 high efficiency step down regulator to convert the battery voltage to a stable lower DC voltage. In addition, it is designed to be used with a backup battery. It supports 3.7V to 4.2V LiPo batteries that are 400mAH or greater in storage capacity. When power is supplied through a vehicle battery a Monolithic Power MP2617 switch mode battery charger is used to charge the back up battery.

The whole tracker system is built around an Espressif ESP32-C3FH4, which is based on a 32-bit RISC-V processor. Furthermore, it offers multiple security features, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth wireless connectivity, and a plethora of peripheral options. For GPS capabilities the A7672 family of devices is implemented on board. Manufactured by SIMCom Wireless Solutions Limited, the device offers built in GNSS capabilities along with support for various cellular protocols. Three different versions are available to support different wireless regulatory requirements around the world. The A7672S is available for India and Asia, the A7672E for Europe, and the A7272SA for the Americas and Australia.

Additional specs of the tracking device include an integrated low power three-axis motion sensor (LIS3DH), a SIM card connector, an attached 1.5dBi flexible PCB path antenna, and an optional IP67 standard enclosure. Using the motion sensor the device can be programmed to send updates when the vehicle the device is attached to begins to move. The device is also an open hardware effort and has a micro USB connector for programming, configuring, and flashing firmware.

Currently, the Valtrack V4 is planned to be offered for purchase with an enclosure or without an enclosure. Additionally, the antenna used can be the internal patch antenna or a SMA connector is available for external options. Upon release, full getting started guides, schematics, and programming examples are planned to be available. Stay tuned for its launch on Valetron Systems' Crowd Supply page here.