9 Lessons Your Parents Teach You About Keyless Cars Being Stolen

Keyless Cars Being Stolen in Minutes

With the help of equipment that is available for purchase online, criminals are targeting keyless vehicles, which could be taken in just a few minutes. Learn how thieves can evade security features in your car and what you need to do to protect it.

Keep your key fob in an aluminium tin to block its signal. You may want to install an electronic lock for steering to prevent your car from being driven away.

Relay Theft

The modern convenience of keys-less cars can make it easy to forget that they also make your car vulnerable to high-tech criminals. Relay theft is among the most recent hacking techniques thieves use.

Two criminals could rob your car using this method. The first thief who is positioned near your home, utilizes equipment to amplify the signal from the key fob. He then transmits the amplified signal to the second thief standing near your vehicle. The second thief could make use of their device to mimic the signal of your fob and then unlock the car or start the engine, allowing them to take off with the car.

These devices can be bought online for relatively low prices. They can be put on any vehicle, regardless of whether it's the most recent SUV or the old Honda Civic. Certain types of vehicles are more at risk than others. Cars that are in high demand from thieves, whether due to their resale worth or for the ease of dismantling parts, are usually targeted by criminals. This is why you must park in a well-lit spot and ensure that you don't store anything valuable in the vehicle (including the owner's manual, which could contain a valet key).

In the UK, thefts using this method are at an all-time high according to tracking company Tracker UK. In July 2023 they accounted 98% of the stolen cars that the company was able to recover.

To minimize the risk of becoming a victim experts suggest installing aftermarket car security systems such as alarms and GPS trackers. They also suggest keeping keys in a container made of metal, signal-blocking pouch or Faraday box, which can prevent relay attacks.

Dealerships can safeguard their inventory as well by taking physical security measures, including perimeter fencing, surveillance cameras and well-lit areas. They should also train their staff on how to handle lockdown and keys to avoid theft. If they are selling older vehicles they should think about installing an ignition immobilizer by the dealer. This will prevent thieves from driving away with the car after fooling the system into thinking it's still in the dealership lot.

Theft of Transponders

To keep up with the latest developments in technology, thieves upgrade their equipment to be compatible with the latest technology. Criminals use a relay attack to steal keyless cars. Two individuals work together. The thief is positioned outside the victim's home with a device which detects a signal from the key fob. This is then relayed to a friend who is near the car. If the copied signal is recognized the door is opened and the car is started with no requirement for the actual key to be present. Video footage from security cameras at home has revealed this happening with deactivate stolen car key fob vehicles being driven away in seconds.

This is a rising threat to owners of all kinds and models, putting even older luxury vehicles at risk. Tracker UK, a tracking company in the UK, said that 98% of high-tech vehicles it found in the last year were stolen through keyless systems. Older luxury vehicles with keyless systems that are less advanced are the most susceptible, including Mercedes C-and E-Classes, BMW 3 Series models, Land Rover Discovery, and Jaguar XF.

Another way of stealing keys is code stealing, which can happen when you're not paying careful attention to where you place your key fob. You may forget to take it out of your pocket when you leave the home. If your fob is in the range of an in-home intelligent security or hub, it can be hacked to gain access to the vehicle's control systems. A hacker with a solid understanding of electronics can modify the vehicle to do whatever they want, for instance, disable ignition and start driving away.

These attacks are a threat to anyone who owns keys-less cars, but it's important to be aware of them and take steps to protect your vehicle. You can try to limit the danger by parking in a secured garage or gated and safe car park. If that's not feasible you could consider installing a motion-sensored camera with a view of your driveway. You can also buy signal-blocking accessories like bags and boxes, which are designed to stop thieves from taking over your key fob's signals when they are within the vicinity of jammers.

Programming Theft

The technology of keyless cars is convenient for us, but it can make them easier to take away for thieves. The "relay attack" is a typical method to steal a car using keyless entry systems. It involves crooks working in pairs and using equipment to capture the signal that your fob sends when it's within the range of your door or ignition to open and start your vehicle.

The keyless system relies on radio signals that are low-power and only operate when the key fob is in close proximity to the doors or ignition. A skilled hacker, however can make use of specially-designed devices to boost the communication between the fob and the vehicle, extending the range of the system. This allows a criminal to trick the vehicle into believing the fob is close enough to open or start it, even though it may be metres away inside the victim's house or even in their pockets.

Certain vehicles have an additional security feature that disables the ignition if the fob is too far away, however this only is effective if the vehicle has been programmed to recognize the fob's signals at a certain frequency. Hackers who have the code for the car system could alter the code of the key fob to ensure that it operates at the frequency the car is programmed to recognize. This bypasses the security feature.

The On-Board Diagnostics port (OBD) is typically located under the steering wheel, can be used by car thieves to obtain the coding of your keyless transmission. This device, referred to as a key programmer, is available on the internet for less than $1,000. The tool will download the car's particular information onto the blank key fob which allows it to unlock and start your vehicle just like the genuine one would.

They are readily accessible online, and permit criminals to target diverse range of brands and models. However, the most sought-after cars with keyless entry are models from luxury brands like BMW, Audi, Mercedes and Jaguar and are the ones most frequently targeted by thieves. Tracker, an insurance company discovered that luxury models were responsible for up to half of all high-tech thefts it helped to recover.

Theft of Lockout

Criminals are able to take advantage of the weaknesses of keyless entry systems. While the old method of smashing car windows and hotwiring cars is still popular, more criminals are using high-tech techniques that allow them to rob cars without entering homes. In fact, according to data collected by the company that tracks Tracker Car thefts have reached an all-time high in the U.K., with keyless car thefts accounting for large proportions of the total.

A lot of these new methods are not only cheaper than traditional car stolen with keys in it theft but they can be accomplished in just a few minutes. For example, a team of two thieves can use a device to intercept the signal from the key fob and send it directly to the transmitter in the hands of the other thief. This enables the other criminal to unlock the vehicle and then drive it away. These devices can be bought for as little $100 and work on various automobile models.

In addition to these modern methods, thieves are capable of capturing the data sent by a key fob that they can duplicate and upload to a blank key fob. The cloned keys will be capable of unlocking and starting the vehicle, even when the original key isn't present.

ADAC's research revealed that hundreds of popular cars being stolen with keyless entry, including the Ford Fiesta and Toyota Prius are susceptible to this kind of theft. In fact one key can unlock multiple vehicles with this method, which means that it is no longer necessary to target specific brands or models.

To help keep cars safe from these new threats, car makers are now offering security measures. Kia for instance has created an faraday pouch that can be put in the keyfob pocket of the driver's car to block signals and protect it from being stolen. Other options include creating extra keys and storing them in secure but accessible places, installing cameras around your home and driveway or making use of apps to ensure that you don't forget your car. Also, it's an excellent idea to check regularly the status of your battery on your key fob to prevent it becoming depleted.