SECURITY EXPERT

VEHICLE technology has come far in recent years, and you’d be forgiven for thinking that cars are more secure as a result. However, while the days of hotwiring are long gone, criminals are using new, hi-tech methods to bypass immobilisers and keyless entry systems.

A new and worrying tactic called ‘relay attack’ is one such method. This has been seen in the US and Germany, but it’s also appearing in the UK, with thieves using a relay radar device to steal a car. One stands near the owner’s home to pick up the signal from the key fob inside the house and relays it to the car using the radar device. This allows others to open, start and steal the vehicle in seconds.

According to a German study of 30 manufacturers, several brands are vulnerable to the tactic – and relay attack tools are readily available online for as little as £80. With 54.5 per cent of vehicles recovered by TRACKER stolen without the keys, the shift towards electronic manipulation is evident.

Don’t rely on security technology to do all the work. For example, some security experts now advocate storing car keys in a closed metal container, rather than leaving them on the kitchen worktop or hallway table.