David Lock

Car crime, joy riding, hit-and runs are reported daily. So here is a naive question. Why aren't cars fitted with a basic security device to prevent them being easily driven away? Something like a key code - pin number - that was linked to the engine management system and the car simply would not start unless the correct number was used. On old bangers you could perhaps have something that linked to say the fuel pump which would not operate unless correct pin number (or similar technology) was used.

Of course serious car thieves would come up with ways around this but it must be possible to build something that would defeat the 13 year olds and part time thickos. And to answer the "who's going to pay for this?" question then it would be a requirement for all new cars to have a device fitted and for older cars there would be a cash incentive such as £30 off road tax every year plus cheaper insurance. It would be made mandatory after say 3 years. This should also bring significant savings in police costs and even save a few lives. Thoughts? dl

drumsterphil

iTrader: (1)

The problem with pin numbers as form of security is that the thieving scum will just beat the cr4p out of the owner to get that number. Security systems are already secure enough that the easiest option is for houses to be broken into, owners threatened and keys taken.

There really is no security system at the moment that can't be overcome, at worst, by beating up the owner for the info to over-ride the system (that includes Blackjax IMO).

What we really need is for car-crime, and the punishments given, to be ramped up to truly scary levels. Can't see why being car-jacked at gun-point shouldn't be classed the same as armed-robbery.

Burglary/theft does not currently attract stiff sentences; that needs to change. It's simple - you steal, you suffer!

ALi-B

iTrader: (1)

Old citroens and pugs had a kepad immobilser.

Load of rubbish...all you needed was to disconnect it, have a fiddle, and reset it back to default

Of course we do have Clifford's Blackjaxx, which is an anti-hijack immobilser based on a 2 digit pin.....if only they made decent quality more durable buttons that didn't wear out

Thing is, it is almost impossible to start a modern car engine without the keys now. As bypassing the ignition switch no longer works, as the keys have an inductive chip that sends a code automatically to the engine/immobilser ECU whenever it is near the ignition barrel. Swapping ECU's does not work anymore, as most cars have coded ECUs, where each ECU unit for every system is coded to each other (even the radio in extreme cases), so swapping it for another will lock it out, thus preventing it from working. Of course with a decent Diagnostic tool (propper one....not a halfords DTC reader )and a few codes, the system can be reset and recoded to accept the new device. But by then we are now talking about professionals...and they usually find it much easier just to break in and nick the keys anyway

Best line of defence for cars IMO is physical visible security (CAT3 rated dislock/autolock...not a ****ty little bar or gearlock). You can fit all the electronics in the world and some ****** will try and nick it on the assumption it is stock (I'm talking from experience...an XR3 with deadlocks, Ford (****e) alarm, Cat1 alarm/immobilser plus a cat2 immobilser that was already fitted - they still tried to nick it ).

A cheapie trick that always gets the kids is a kill switch hidden under a wheel arch

David Lock

I take the point about owners being forced into giving out a pin number and I can see that happening for a Beema parked in driveway but not so much during day when car is parked in multi-story or on street?

Like the idea of hidden cut out

In the old days I just used to remove rotar arm.......

fast bloke

I used to remove the rotor arm as well. Still got a car nicked. Police pointed out that so many people removed rotor arms that the hoods would carry a collection of them just in case.

The Zohan

Agree with the above.

The only dererrent is proper sentancing!

Sigma Sam

The new Sigma S30 Cat 1 has a feature called "Key Theft Protection" that can be activated. With this feature turned on the alarm is disarmed and the vehicle unlocked with the remote but the immobilisr remains active until the system's 4-digit PIN is entered into the keypad (new design with tactile rubber buttons for more frequent use).
This system will be introduced on the next generation Subaru models (08MY) when the factory loom can be changed to accomodate the the new system.

Unfortunately, what one person considers to be a good security feature, another considers an inconvenience, so in practice although available to them most customers who purchase S30's in the aftermarket do not have the feature turned on.

SS

SS

vindaloo

Why not have two or more keycodes including emergency or 'duress' ones. It's been available for computer/network security for years. J.