Car theft protection is the number one priority for all of us. An automobile is a basic mode of transportation, it saves our time, makes daily life comfortable and convenient. On the other hand, we need to invest in maintenance costs for ensuring reliability. It is completely normal. But what happens if criminals keep an eye on your car? There is a good chance that they try to steal it in the blink of an eye. So, what are you doing for prevention? Do you invest in anti-theft devices? Wait! Let me guess, you believe that manufacturers do their best and your interference is no longer necessary. We’ve all been there. Let’s be honest, it’s easy to become a victim if you don’t take extra measures of safety.
Let’s get started and discuss issues related to vehicle theft protection and the responsibility of manufacturers. Do you know that it is beneficial in many ways to strengthen the quality of the protection? Keep on reading to get comprehensive information about all the above-mentioned topics.
What does car theft protection mean?
It is a series of activities you can do to ensure the guaranteed safety of your automobile. It can be such simple steps as locking doors, windows and paying attention to your key. However, you can implement serious devices that allow you to gain complete control over your property.
So it is not worth saving energy and time for taking care of safety, it helps you insure yourself from possible loss. Trusting your common sense is not bad, but it’s better when you feel confident even when you are resting at home. If you look through the statistics of stolen automobiles, you easily discover that there is no particular pattern between the target automobiles. The target can be any one of them, including yours.
Before we discuss your responsibility, let’s take a look at manufacturers and their promises regarding the safety of your vehicle.
What do manufacturers do for security?
Nowadays, the major challenge for manufacturers is key fob relay attacks. It is a type of theft with the help of a special device- a signal extender. So, thieves can snatch your automobile without having your key fob. British brand Which?- A promoter of informed consumer choice in the purchase of goods and services, asked the manufacturers of 33 automobile brands what they were doing to protect their customers from relay attacks. The results were not hopeful. Most of them, 26 manufacturers expressed concern but admit that they didn’t provide auto theft protection their customers deserve.
To put it simply, some manufacturers ignore the necessity of those systems, some of them actively work to improve them and some of them offer the option to disable the keyless system. In the worst-case scenario they do not want to talk about this issue.
Considering safety is always a good idea
Firstly and most importantly, safeguarding your automobile makes you confident in all situations. It guarantees a good claim settlement in case of automobile theft. Moreover, ensuring car theft protection helps you get discounts when you insure your auto. It’s not surprising that protected cars mean fewer claims so insurance companies offer you important savings and rates.
Secondly, believe it or not, having protection devices discourages thieves from stealing your automobile. They choose the target which is easier to handle. If they do not know in advance about the safety measures you take, there is a good chance that they give up as soon the signal goes off.
To sum up, ensuring safety is always a good idea. It prevents inconvenience related to coordinating with police in case of automobile theft. Additionally, you will be more secure financially and have peace of mind at any rate. So, mind it and don’t think too much.
Do mobile apps make vehicles vulnerable?
When it comes to vehicle theft protection we should not forget various apps from different manufacturers that help us to control features of the automobile right from our smartphones. Internet-connected automobiles have become more and more popular recently. The main reason for this is the comfort and convenience they provide. It’s not only about the opportunity to access music and videos but also for tracking, tracing, starting and locking functions. Hence, those applications are popular among motorists around the world.
The point is the quality of safety they provide in a particular case. For example, what will happen if hackers gain entry to the smartphones of a victim who uses those apps? Undoubtedly, it can be dangerous, because it makes it easier for criminals to steal the automobile. How does it happen? They gain access to your smartphone and therefore your app. Of course, they can’t simply snatch it. The point is that as soon as they get inside, they use a programming unit to write a new key. The rest of the job is done through the application. So, that is the strategy for criminals to hack automobiles with the help of apps.
All of the above-mentioned are not hollow words. Securelist.com conducted a study about potential threats of using such apps. They take the 7 most popular applications and check several aspects of them, including the availability of dangerous features, whether they check root permissions and things like that. At the end of the study, they found that those apps don’t have good defense mechanisms. So, manufacturers should think more carefully about the safety of those apps installed on users’ devices, because unfortunately they can be used against them today.
Adopt the most common methods for auto theft protection
What will come to your mind when you think about the safety of your automobile? I’m sure it is installing good aftermarket devices. According to the market researcher, GMI (Global market insight) reports dramatic growth in the automobile anti-theft System market size. This was caused by the growth of automobile stealing, especially during the global pandemic. In recent years, late-model automobiles from notable makes like Toyota and Ford come with built-in anti-theft parts and software.
So, what are the most common aftermarket tools for prevention? Here is a list of them one by one:
GPS tracker is a great tool to get information about your automobile’s location through your phone. It is extremely helpful for recovering stolen automobiles. Some trackers provide text messages reporting location and destination.
Security camera turns out to be useful if you are involved in a break-in or accident. It offers 24-hour recording and it also has a gravity sensor that allows you to understand when an accident happened.
Kill switch is the most affordable option. It is a simple switch that is connected to one of starting parts (fuel pump, fuse box, ignition, battery,) to “kill” the power to that part when it’s switched on. It is the mechanism that is easiest to install for DIYers.the only thing to consider is finding the hidden place. To put it simply it cuts the power in an automobile and makes it impossible for thieves to snatch your property.
Alarm – It is a sound-based technology, it starts signaling as soon as anyone tries to mess up with your property.
Immobilizer –It is an outstanding tool that prevents the engine to be started without presenting the original key.
Mind your key fob
When it comes to car theft protection one of the first things you should be careful with is your key fob because the leading reason that encourages thieves is carelessness with it. Keyless technology promises comfort and convenience but at the same time is a source of danger if you do not keep keys safe. Wrongdoers try to catch the signal coming from the key fob with a special amplifier and fool the automobile and make it think that the key is nearby. There are some alternatives on the market to purchase, some wallets called pouches which are meant to block this signal. However, there is a special chip, which I’m going to talk about in the following paragraph. Get ready to know more about the outstanding theft-deterrent product on the market.
The best solution for vehicle theft protection
Secure FOB is an innovative chip specially designed for battling against relay attacks. A relay attack is a technique of stealing an automobile with a help of signal relaying coming from the key fob. It happens often if the owner is not careful with a key fob. However, everyone can easily become a victim of such a crime. To avoid inconvenience, manufacturers create a special chip that is placed in the key fob. It covers the battery from both sides and with a motion sensor detects the motion to turn the fob on/off. The chip consists of a 3D motion sensor, LED indicator, microprocessor, and flexible base. It deactivated the key fob after 3 minutes of being motionless. You can install the chip effortlessly. Different from other alternatives it provides guaranteed defense.
Takeaway
Thus you get all the necessary information about auto theft protection, you know its basic principles. Moreover, you get information about the premium-quality product on the market, which exceeds your expectation at any rate. Choose attentively what works for you and buy Secure FOB. So what are you waiting for?