Targa Telematics strengthens vehicle misuse prevention with AI-driven solutions

Highlights

According to the Targa Telematics Observatory, the phenomenon is growing by 50% and accounts for 40% of total vehicle losses within fleets.
Thanks to prevention, vehicle recovery rates can reach up to 90%.
Targa Telematics’ AI-driven solution – Smart Vehicle Protector (SVP) – enables early detection of misuse risks and supports timely vehicle recovery.

In Italy, misappropriation represents a smaller but still significant share of illegally removed vehicles, often occurring in the context of rental or leasing contracts that are not honored. For operators, the financial impact can be substantial: asset-related losses (loss of residual vehicle value and interruption of service payments), operational costs (legal and investigation expenses related to vehicle recovery), and insurance costs (due, for example, to higher deductibles compared to standard theft). It is estimated that, in a medium-sized fleet, misappropriation can have an impact exceeding €1 million*.

According to analyses from the Targa Telematics Observatory and its network of Control Rooms, Targa Telematics—one of the leading global players in the field of AIoT (Artificial Intelligence of Things) for the development of digital solutions and platforms for connected mobility—reports that misappropriation is rapidly increasing. In 2025, out of 10,000 theft cases, instances of improper and unauthorized use grew by 50%, accounting for nearly 40% of total thefts.

A prevention-based strategy proves effective

Unlike direct theft, misappropriation originates from an initially legitimate access to the asset; the risk evolves over time through non-compliant behaviors, extended usage, or irregular operating patterns, making early detection particularly challenging.
According to Targa Telematics’ experience, the intelligent correlation of events—behavioral anomalies, exceeding agreed limits, inconsistent usage patterns—makes it possible to overcome the limitations of reactive models based on post-event checks, and to adopt a prevention strategy capable of monitoring assets and intervening before misappropriation turns into a permanent loss.
This preventive approach delivers tangible results: again, according to the Targa Telematics Observatory, when risk is identified at an early stage, recovery rates can exceed 90%, significantly reducing both the financial and operational impact for operators.

Targa Telematics’ AI-driven solution

Leveraging a data foundation built over years of field experience and enriched with large volumes of signals and real-world cases, Targa Telematics has developed an AI-driven solution—Smart Vehicle Protector (SVP)—to identify early risks of misuse and misappropriation, enabling rapid activation of recovery operations.
Based on Artificial Intelligence, behavioral analytics, and Agentic AI (virtual agents capable of observing, reasoning, and acting autonomously), Smart Vehicle Protector (SVP) continuously monitors each asset like a dedicated digital operator. It automatically correlates events and weak signals, recognizes hundreds of complex risk patterns, reduces false positives, and prioritizes only the most relevant alerts—allowing for fast and targeted intervention through 24/7 operational Control Rooms across Europe.
“Thanks to the Smart Vehicle Protector solution, Targa Telematics supports companies in the transition from reactive damage management to proactive asset protection, identifying signals before risk turns into loss,” commented Alberto Falcione, VP Sales at Targa Telematics. “For Rental & Leasing operators, this translates into tangible cost savings and reduced resource allocation for vehicle recovery. In a context where misappropriation is growing by more than 50% and can generate significant impacts, prevention is no longer an option, but a strategic choice.”

* Based on a medium-sized fleet of 10,000 vehicles and an annual misappropriation rate of 0.46% (source: ANIASA).

About Targa Telematics

Targa Telematics is one of the main global players in the AIoT field and in developing solutions and digital platforms for connected mobility. For over 25 years, the company has been bringing to the market a range of telematics technology solutions, smart mobility and IoT platforms for short and long-term rental companies, financial companies and large fleets, ranging from insurance telematics to asset and fleet management, from remote diagnostics and telemetry of vehicles, professional and construction vehicles, to the management of airport vehicles. Following the acquisition of Viasat Group – finalized in 2023 – Targa Telematics has strengthened its footprint in European markets – thanks to a strong presence in countries such as Italy, the UK, France, Spain, Portugal, Belgium, Poland and Romania – as well as Chile. The company is able to work on projects at international level with dedicated local teams. Targa Telematics participates to the United Nations Global Compact and adheres to its principles-based approach to responsible business.
For more information: www.targatelematics.com