A young Perth inventor developed an electronic vehicle tracking system designed to help police pursue stolen cars and potentially assist with stolen vehicle recovery across Australia and overseas.

Charles Clare, 23, who worked for technology company Ceanet, developed the system using a tracking device installed in a vehicle and connected to a personal computer through a mobile phone using the Global Positioning System satellite network.

The vehicle could appear as a moving symbol on a computer map showing streets, with maps of major Australian cities and towns available. If a vehicle already had a suitable cellular phone or radio, Clare estimated the tracking equipment would cost less than $7000.

Clare said the system could keep track of an unlimited number of vehicles at any one time, making it potentially useful for security services, courier companies and other organisations managing vehicle fleets. It could also be used for vessels at sea.

Clare had studied electronic engineering at the University of WA before leaving in 1989. He said the idea for the V-Track system came after he began working on mobile electronic technology and wanted to develop a useful application for it.

Ceanet manager Ivy Branson said the pair were seeking a Commonwealth grant to move V-Track into the manufacturing stage.