- We explain why keyless entry cars are vulnerable to theft
- Find out how keyless entry works
- What can you do to make your car secure?
Car makers spend millions of pounds designing vehicle security to make sure cars stay in the hands of their rightful owners. The trouble is, car criminals are resourceful people. As soon as a new security system is revealed, crooks focus on finding ways to try and beat it.
With keyless entry to cars, they’ve been successful. Office for National Statistics data from 2018 shows car theft has gone up by nine per cent in England and Wales. Motoring organisations claim one reason for this increase is the vulnerability of some keyless entry systems.
What is keyless entry?
Keyless cars have just a key fob rather than an actual key. The fob uses radio signals to unlock the car. Some work when you are a metre or so away from the car; some rely on you having the key fob with you and grasping the door handle. Some cars lock themselves automatically when the key fob is a certain distance away.
Once you’ve got in the car, rather than putting a key into the ignition to start the car, there is a start-stop button. The driver presses this to turn the ignition on and fire the engine.
Keyless entry is popular with drivers because it’s so convenient. Owners can keep their key in their pocket or handbag rather than getting it out. And it removes a layer of hassle when getting into your car with your hands full.
Some keyless fobs on upmarket motors even store the driver’s settings such as seat position and radio station. Others let you put the heater on remotely on cold mornings.
How does a keyless entry car work?
The keyless car’s fob might be small but it’s packed with technology. It has a built-in transceiver which can send and receive coded radio signals. The car does the same. The car and key send these unique encrypted signals between each other. All collected data is then stored in the car’s computer.
The car is a bit like an army sentry asking for a secret password and the key fob is another soldier giving the answer. If the car gets the answer it’s looking for, it unlocks its doors and gets the ignition system ready for the start-stop button to be pushed.
How does keyless entry car theft work?
When thieves target a car, they can use the features of keyless entry to break into the car without actually having the key or access to its buttons.
This theft is sometimes called hacking but it’s more accurate name is relay theft. It relies on your car being parked close to your home. The criminals then use equipment that they buy online.
One thief holds a device close to your home. This picks up the signal being sent out by your car key. The kit relays the signal to another device that an accomplice is holding by the car, capturing the signals being sent.
This device transmits the car key’s signal, fooling the car into thinking the key is nearby. The crooks then unlock the car and drive away. The whole process can take just seconds, in some cases less time than it takes to read how it works.
Crooks use signal jammers too
A more primitive way criminals use to get into cars is a signal jammer. They will lurk around in a car park with their signal jammer switched on. This blocks the signal between key fob and car.
It makes people think they’ve locked their cars when they’re actually still open. When the owner is off the scene, the criminal can then help themselves to the contents of the car.
Be alert to this by making sure you hear the car’s locks go down as you walk away. If you’re unsure, always check your doors.
How to protect keyless entry cars
The easiest and cheapest way to do this is to keep your car key as far away from where a criminal is likely to try to pick up the signal. But storing your car key in an upstairs back bedroom isn’t always possible or convenient.
So you need to use a car key signal blocker. This stops any criminals accessing the signal being sent by your car key. And if they can’t do that, they can’t fool your car into thinking the key is nearer than it actually is.
A metal box should do this or you could use what’s known as a Faraday bag. These are metal lined wallets. You can buy them online and from motor retailers with prices starting at about £5.
To check that it works, put the key in the bag when you’re standing beside the locked car. The doors should stay locked. You should also put the spare key that lives in the house in a similar bag.
Make your own keyless entry signal blocker
Anything that’s metal will prevent a signal being transmitted. Some drivers stow their keys in the microwave. Others swear by putting them in the fridge, although this might shorten the key’s battery life. If you’re after a quick and temporary fix, you could make an envelope out of tin foil and keep your car key in that.
Check your user manual
Keyless entry’s security problems has become a real problem that some car makers have gone above and beyond to address them. On some cars you can stop the key from sending out any signals by clicking the lock button twice.
With some cars you can ask your dealer to switch the keyless function off. And other newer models have keys that go into ‘sleep’ mode and don’t transmit if they haven’t moved for a short period.
Buy a steering wheel lock
Police experts say visible deterrents such as steering wheel locks work well. Unless your car is very rare and super desirable, crooks will see the extra security and simply move on to a softer target.
To buy the best, go for one that is Thatcham tested and approved. Thatcham does research for the insurance industry and therefore knows the ins and outs about car theft protection.
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