For many years, consumers, law enforcement agencies and insurers have been confronted with an ever-increasing number of vehicle thefts, both genuine thefts and insurance frauds, as well as the growing problem of increasing violence and threats against vehicle drivers.Manufacturers have and will continue to introduce after-theft systems that will enable the police to recover stolen vehicles. Different techniques are being used for that purpose. This document refers to them by the generic name of After Theft Systems for Vehicle Recovery (ATSVR).Standards for Automatic Vehicle Identification (AVI) and Automatic Equipment Identification (AEI) are being developed by CEN/TC 278/WG 12 in parallel with EN ISO 14814. This ATSVR standard does not prejudice that work and does not seek to establish parameters for future AVI/AEI standards. DSRC and AVI standards are seen as basic technology blocks for types of short-range ATSVR systems.Certain specialised terms and definitions have been used in writing the ATSVR standards. This preliminary document aims to provide the preliminary framework of ATSVR concepts and definitions for the purpose of following ones. It will therefore:-define the concepts and global architecture models for ATSVR and the appropriate terminology;-identify the various elements that may comprise an ATSVR.The events and associated information that are relevant to the situation prior to the registration of the theft are relevant to the total process, but may be subject to the laws of individual countries. Such events and associated information may be described in the standards to give clarity to the technical processes identified, which obviously does not presume on the prevailing legal conditions.