https://www.msn.com/en-gb/news/news...uccession-of-thefts/ar-BB13nkPA?ocid=msedgdhpcould you make a claim against the maker for knowingly selling a car you know can be stolen by these methods
Car theft
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Alex.mc
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I doubt it, I would suspect that as long as the maker could demonstrate they had taken reasonable measures to allow a car to be secured, then beyond that they would not be liable as you suggest.
I spent quite some time in the motor trade some time back, and I learn't that if criminals really want your car, and it's worth it to them, they WILL take it... somehow.
It's a bit of a cat and mouse game. The manufacturers build in security, the criminals try harder to defeat it. These criminals were foreign nationals it would appear, and as such probably weren't particularly aware of the movements they were making when stealing, and the patterns. Clever criminals rarely get caught, because they will accept a loss or lack of profit, to ensure safety, and move again when it's safe to do so.
The only car safe from theft.... is one the criminals don't want to steal.
I spent quite some time in the motor trade some time back, and I learn't that if criminals really want your car, and it's worth it to them, they WILL take it... somehow.
It's a bit of a cat and mouse game. The manufacturers build in security, the criminals try harder to defeat it. These criminals were foreign nationals it would appear, and as such probably weren't particularly aware of the movements they were making when stealing, and the patterns. Clever criminals rarely get caught, because they will accept a loss or lack of profit, to ensure safety, and move again when it's safe to do so.
The only car safe from theft.... is one the criminals don't want to steal.
both our cars have keyless entry and the keys are kept in a tin when not using the car. So best of luck with the crims trying to pinch them.
What i would like to know is why the signal from the key has to be so strong, you only need the keyless entry when you are stood next to it so if it was only strong enough to travel a metre or less the gadget below wouldn't work.
The car i am looking to buy next has keyless on the highest spec model the mid spec car has most of the good stuff the higher spec one does but keyless entry has put me off buying the top spec model if they did a non keyless version of the top spec car i would buy it.
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If you could someone would have made such a claim years ago. Cars have always been easy to steal
Early Fords and screwdrivers come to mind.
Never been a fan of key fob unlocking of cars. We used to have a Landrover Freelander. We'd park outside the supermarket, lock it and do our shopping only to find it unlocked when we came back to it. Once we parked it and I locked the car - 3 other cars close by flashed their lights. Unlocked it - they flashed again. Locked it ditto.
PhilBrew
Landlord.
Hi Chippy
Or you could get yourself an N-reg Austin Maestro, no-one's going to steal that
Cheers, PhilB
... the keys are designed for the signal to travel no further than 0.5m or so ... the problem is the owners will leave the keys in a handbag/pocket hanging on a hook on an outside wall, or in a pot on a hall table less than 0.5m from the outside ... one of the thieves then uses a laptop/tablet to communicate with the key from near the house, and send signals to the other one's laptop/tablet to emulate the key (as far as the car is concerned) so they can open the car ... keeping the keys somewhere well away from the boundaries of the house, or in a "Faraday cage" like @dad_of_jon suggests with his tin, will solve the problem
Or you could get yourself an N-reg Austin Maestro, no-one's going to steal that
Cheers, PhilB
MyQul
Chairman of the Bored
Or you could get yourself an N-reg Austin Maestro, no-one's going to steal that
Cheers, PhilB
Even better get an austin allegro. The car thieves of today would be totally confused by the square steering wheel
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My father had a Ford escort cosworth think it was a k reg. One summer the rest of family went away on holiday, not wanting to leave his car at the airport he took mine and I was left with the cosworth. Being 19 i was pleased and quickly arranged to take a girl on a date. On returning to the car I was disappointed to find it gone. In the early hours the police rang to say they found the car but couldn't start it so left it abandoned. I went to collect it and in the steering column is another ignition barrel. Used the arm of my sunglasses to start it. Rubbish.
Richie_asg1
Junior Member
Interesting that police are now advising the fitting of a steering wheel lock, but most of them can be bypassed and don't count towards your insurance if you say you had one fitted.
I made my own anti-theft system for my 1.6S fiesta. 6 people were seen pushing it down the road trying to bump start it after they had bent the window out 90 degrees to gain access. It was left in an underpass when the police knocked on my door at 3Am. Even they couldn't start it to get it back to me, so they gave me a lift to it. I got in, started it and drove back.
It was a simple keypad lock kit from Maplin, but it worked via a hidden relay to cut multiple circuits.
I made my own anti-theft system for my 1.6S fiesta. 6 people were seen pushing it down the road trying to bump start it after they had bent the window out 90 degrees to gain access. It was left in an underpass when the police knocked on my door at 3Am. Even they couldn't start it to get it back to me, so they gave me a lift to it. I got in, started it and drove back.
It was a simple keypad lock kit from Maplin, but it worked via a hidden relay to cut multiple circuits.
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I remember the Citroen saxo had a keypad to unlock the immboliser
There is an aftermarket part you can fit that stops these thieves but why should you have to pay to fit one, keeping the key away from the front of the house or in a tin is good advice but could they do this in a car park by getting close to you when you walk away from the car?
Yes they can Chippy very easily,
pottsworth
Regular.
I suspect you’d struggle to prove an automotive manufacturer is negligent.
It takes roughly 3 years to engineer a significant update to an existing car, or 4 years to do an all new car, and you generally have to define what modules you want to use and the appropriate technology right at the start, as this then defines the electrical architecture you can use, where you can put things, what other things you can put in those areas etc.
If some new technology Comes along for stealing cars, the manufacturer first needs to work out how to prevent it, then work out the parts they need, find a supplier to make those parts, find where in the car they can package them, then they will need to retool the surrounding parts to hold the new parts, then there will be significant EMC testing to make sure that the new device doesn’t cause radio 4 to crackle when you’re turning right with the air con on, then it all needs to be certified and introduced as part of a model year update.
In short, it’s a huge amount of work, and not the kind of thing that can be done very quickly in response to a new tool (this is also why cars tend to lag behind phones which have a yearly technology cycle).
Regarding the strength of the signal - it needs to be able to reach the module inside the car, which is effectively inside a Faraday cage, and still needs to work as the key battery runs down, so that’s why it would need to be reasonably strong. If criminals have a high gain antennae they could also potentially pick up signals that are significantly less strong than what is needed to unlock the car.
As someone else said though - if they want your car, they’ll take it. There’s a reason the number of burglaries taking only car keys increased as car security got better - whenthe car was harder to break into then the house, just break into the house.
It takes roughly 3 years to engineer a significant update to an existing car, or 4 years to do an all new car, and you generally have to define what modules you want to use and the appropriate technology right at the start, as this then defines the electrical architecture you can use, where you can put things, what other things you can put in those areas etc.
If some new technology Comes along for stealing cars, the manufacturer first needs to work out how to prevent it, then work out the parts they need, find a supplier to make those parts, find where in the car they can package them, then they will need to retool the surrounding parts to hold the new parts, then there will be significant EMC testing to make sure that the new device doesn’t cause radio 4 to crackle when you’re turning right with the air con on, then it all needs to be certified and introduced as part of a model year update.
In short, it’s a huge amount of work, and not the kind of thing that can be done very quickly in response to a new tool (this is also why cars tend to lag behind phones which have a yearly technology cycle).
Regarding the strength of the signal - it needs to be able to reach the module inside the car, which is effectively inside a Faraday cage, and still needs to work as the key battery runs down, so that’s why it would need to be reasonably strong. If criminals have a high gain antennae they could also potentially pick up signals that are significantly less strong than what is needed to unlock the car.
As someone else said though - if they want your car, they’ll take it. There’s a reason the number of burglaries taking only car keys increased as car security got better - whenthe car was harder to break into then the house, just break into the house.
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Nah, don't want the whole car steering wheel will do.
Driver baffled by steering wheel theft
In China it is the number plate theft where the money is, the plates are stolen and then held for ransom. Its cheaper and easier to pay the thieves than to report it to the police.
So along with the Liverpool, Manchester united / City scarves in the back of the car are the number plates.
Driver baffled by steering wheel theft
In China it is the number plate theft where the money is, the plates are stolen and then held for ransom. Its cheaper and easier to pay the thieves than to report it to the police.
So along with the Liverpool, Manchester united / City scarves in the back of the car are the number plates.
We keep our keys in pouches like these
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-x-CAR-...S-RFID-BLOCKING-BAG-FARADAY-CAGE/163255736894
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/2-x-CAR-...S-RFID-BLOCKING-BAG-FARADAY-CAGE/163255736894
I wonder if manufacturers could turn keyless off.
pottsworth
Regular.
On mercs you can temporarily disable The keyless signal by double clicking lock on the key.
Ford have copied the idea, and are offering customers the “upgrade” for about £400!
BrewMeHappy
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When I was at college many years ago, cars were always getting nicked from the pub carpark where everyone used to park. A couple of my mates who were luckily to save up for cars at the age of 17 used to just disconnect and remove the main cable to their distributors and bring them into college with them in them
