Motive allows you to flag an at-risk Asset Gateway as Missing. For battery-powered Asset Gateway Mini (AG-31) devices, you can also activate Recovery Mode to receive near real-time location updates while actively recovering a stolen or misplaced asset.
This article explains the new Missing availability status, how to enable and manage Recovery Mode, and where to monitor an active recovery.
Who can use this
Any user with the "manage vehicles" or "manage assets" permission can set an asset to Missing and enable Recovery Mode. No new permission or setting is required.
Availability Status: Missing
Availability Status for Asset Gateways now includes a third value:
- In Service
- Out of Service
- Missing, used to flag a lost, stolen, or at-risk asset
This applies to Asset Gateways only. Vehicle Gateway availability remains unchanged and still includes only In Service and Out of Service.
Status labels are colour coded: In Service (grey), Missing (red), and Out of Service (yellow). These labels appear on the Asset Gateway Live Page or Profile, in a status banner, on the Assets List, and on the Admin Asset List.
| Status | Preview |
| Available | |
| Out of Service | |
| Missing |
Marking an Asset Gateway as Missing
You can change an Asset Gateway's availability status from any of the following:
- The Asset Gateway Live Page or Profile
- The Assets List in Fleet View
- The Admin 2.0 Asset List
To update the status:
- Open the Asset Gateway Live Page or Profile, the Assets List, or the Admin Asset List.
- Select the asset and choose Edit Availability.
- Select Missing.
- Confirm the change in the confirmation modal.
Only valid status transitions are shown based on the asset's current status.
Note: An Asset Gateway marked Missing cannot be used to start an inspection from the Driver App. Older Driver App versions that do not support the Missing status will show the asset as In Service or Out of Service instead.
Recovery Mode
Recovery Mode is a temporary high-frequency location mode available only for battery-powered Asset Gateway Mini (AG-31) devices with Locate My Asset (LMA) enabled, while the asset is marked Missing. While active, Motive requests a location every 15 minutes instead of the default 8 to 12 hours.
If your asset does not meet these conditions, the Recovery Mode option will not appear.
Enabling Recovery Mode
You can turn on Recovery Mode in either of the following ways:
- In flow: When marking an eligible Asset Gateway as Missing, check the box to enable Recovery Mode in the confirmation modal, then choose a duration.
- From the banner: If the asset is already marked Missing, a red banner appears on the Live View that reads "Asset is marked as missing. Enable Recovery Mode to help find your asset faster." Select the action button to start Recovery Mode.
Choosing how long Recovery Mode runs
When you enable Recovery Mode, choose one of the following end conditions:
- Stop automatically once a location is found, with a 2-week safety expiration if no location is ever received
- Run for a fixed duration of 6, 12, or 24 hours
Selecting a fixed duration triggers a warning that 15-minute reporting accelerates battery consumption. This warning does not appear for "stop when location is found."
Recovery Mode also turns off automatically if the asset's status is changed away from Missing, or it can be stopped manually at any time.
Monitoring an active recovery
While Recovery Mode is on, the Missing Asset banner turns a more intense red and shows who enabled it, when it started, and the selected end condition, including remaining time for fixed durations. This status also appears on the Assets List and the Admin Asset List.
The Availability Status filter on the Assets List and Admin Asset List includes a "Missing, Recovery Mode" option. This filter option only appears when at least one asset currently has Recovery Mode active.
Each Recovery Mode activation is logged with the start time, stop time, number of location updates received, and the user who enabled or disabled it.
Alerts
You will receive an alert when the asset's location is found:
- 1 alert if you chose "stop when location is found"
- 2 alerts if you chose a fixed duration: one when the first location is received, and one when the duration ends
These alerts are flagged Important in the Notification Centre and in email.
API support
Changing Availability Status to Missing and enabling Recovery Mode are two separate API calls. Missing is also supported in the bulk edit import template and the PUT /assets endpoint.
FAQs
What is the difference between the Missing status and Recovery Mode?
Missing is an Availability Status value available on all Asset Gateways, used to flag a lost, stolen, or at-risk asset. Recovery Mode is a separate, optional high-frequency location mode that can only be enabled on a battery-powered AG-31 with Locate My Asset enabled, while the asset is Missing.
Which devices support Recovery Mode?
Only battery-powered Asset Gateway Mini (AG-31) devices with Locate My Asset enabled. If those conditions are not met, the Recovery Mode option is hidden.
How often does the location update in Recovery Mode?
Every 15 minutes. This is the floor set by the Locate My Asset endpoint's 15-minute cooldown.
How long does Recovery Mode stay on?
Until the asset's location is found, with a 2-week safety expiration, or for a fixed 6, 12, or 24 hours. You can also stop it manually, and it turns off automatically if the asset's status changes away from Missing.
Does Recovery Mode drain the battery?
Yes. 15-minute polling accelerates battery consumption, and the device battery should be replaced once the asset is recovered.
Does Recovery Mode work if the vehicle has no signal or is in a jamming area?
No. Location depends on cellular coverage and a GPS fix. If the device is unreachable or jammed, Motive cannot retrieve a location.
Do I need a new permission or setting?
No. Any user with the manage vehicles or manage assets permission can set Missing status and enable Recovery Mode.
Can this be controlled through the public API?
Yes. Status change and Recovery Mode toggle are separate endpoints, requiring two calls. Enabling Recovery Mode through the API also sets the asset to Missing.
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