1 week Ago
So-called keyless systems are a convenient way to make everyday life easier. The car key (usually a card) can remain in your trouser pocket, touching the handle opens the door and the car starts at the touch of a button. Unfortunately, almost all of these systems can be outwitted and enable car theft.
This has now been pointed out by Europe's largest automobile association based in Germany, ADAC . The club has tested the keyless security of over 700 different models in recent years. Only nine per cent of them were better protected, as the detailed article states here .
The extensive list of vehicles tested can also be found there. Proof of theft with pitfalls We do not want to anticipate the ADAC's findings in full and will only quote a few key points. Among others, this one: "Only nine per cent of the cars tested could not be outwitted and were better protected against the attack with the range extender used by the ADAC.
Important to know: This security gap in keyless convenience keys also exists if the key is in the house or if you have it with you when travelling. The tricky thing is that once the engine is running, the car can be driven without the key for as long as there is petrol in the tank. If a thief refuels while the engine is running, he can easily drive the stolen vehicle over long distances.
Car owners of models with keyless systems can also become victims a second time: If the stolen vehicle is found and investigated by the police, there are no signs of break-in or other traces of theft. This can lead to problems when settling the claim or to the suspicion that the owner only faked the theft in order to commit insurance fraud." Which brands and models offer better protection? They say: "Manufacturers can use digital radio technology to make their keyless models more secure.
This technology uses computer chips with ultra-wideband technology (UWB) in the locking system, which can be used to precisely determine the distance between the key and the car from the radio signal's propagation time. If the radio extension used by the ADAC is used, the car no longer responds. Fortunately, Jaguar Land Rover has been the first car manufacturer to install this technology in new models since 2018.
In addition to the Discovery , the same new keyless technology is also installed in the Range Rover, Range Rover Sport (from model year 2018), Jaguar E-Pace and i-Pace models, according to the manufacturer. Since 2019, more and more car models from Audi (including A3, Q4 e-tron), Cupra (including Born, Formentor), Seat (Leon), Skoda (including Enyaq, Octavia) and Volkswagen (including Golf 8, ID. models, Caddy, T7) have also been protected with UWB.
The first models from BMW, Genesis, GWM (Great Wall Motors), Hyundai, Kia, Mercedes and Suzuki are also available with better protection." Since June of this year Jaguar Land Rover has installed security software updates to more than 160,000 older vehicles for 2018 models onwards in the UK giving them the latest technology to protect against theft. More on the topic:.
