After a long day, most of us will ditch our car keys in a safe spot, usually near the front door ready for the next day. But according to Tracker, if you own a keyless car, you might need to be more careful where you leave your keys. Tracker has asked the government to act, as stolen vehicle recoveries hit a 15-year high – 93% were taken without keys.
Thankfully there’s plenty you can do to help keep your car safe and secure. Here are some easy steps to help safeguard your wheels against keyless car theft - and hopefully keep opportunistic car hackers out.
- What is keyless car theft?
- How to keep your keys safe
- Switch off Bluetooth and WiFi when not in use
- Update your car's software
- Always double check
- Protect high-tech with low-tech
- Use a tracker
- Don't leave valueables in your car
- Check your insurance
What is keyless car theft?
Keyless car theft, or relay theft, is when two thieves work together to access your car by interrupting the signal emitted between your key and vehicle. If your car has keyless entry and you park on the driveway, keeping your key near your front door can be risky.
Thieves use a high-tech trick called key hacking that allows them to access and steal your vehicle within minutes. This keyless car theft is called relay theft, and unfortunately it shows no signs of slowing down. Even if you don’t have a keyless car, your car could still be at risk. Thieves might not be able to drive it away, but they can steal items in it.
Once they find out where your fob is, hackers use relay boxes to disrupt and amplify the signal to trick your car into unlocking – all without having to enter your home.
Most of these thefts happen weekday evenings and nights. When people are cooking, watching TV or sleeping.
Thankfully, there are easy steps you can take to help steel your car against key hacker theft so you can relax at home knowing you’ve done what you can.
How to keep your keys safe
Keeping your keyless fob in a drawer or hook in the hallway isn’t enough. You’re best putting your keys somewhere that blocks the signal between your key fob and car.
You may have seen some of the more “out there” suggestions for storage, like the fridge or microwave. While these do block the signal between your keys and car, they’re not perfect. You might end up damaging your keys if you forget you put them in the microwave! Instead, we recommend investing in a Faraday pouch or box. These are small, cheap, and stop signals from getting through. Just remember to keep it far away from doors and windows as their signal-blocking capacities can vary.
Switch off Bluetooth and Wi-Fi when not in use
To help protect against attackers exploiting weaknesses in your car’s open wireless connections, always turn your Bluetooth and Wi-Fi off when you’re not using them. Hackers can use these to connect to your car’s entertainment system or control parts of your car. They can even steal your personal data.
Update your car's software
If your car’s software is out of date, it’s more susceptible to bugs that hackers use to take control of your car or steal valuable data. Check for updates regularly and ask your garage or manufacturer to update your car when needed.
Always double check
Don’t just rely on pressing the fob and waiting for the familiar sound or lights to signal your car’s locked. Walk round and check the doors are locked.
Protect high-tech with low-tech
Physical deterrents like steering locks may seem old-fashioned, but they work well. They can stop thieves from driving off with your car if they manage to unlock it.
Use a tracker
Although a tracking device won’t stop your car from being stolen, it could increase your chances of finding it if it’s taken.
Don’t leave valuables in your car
This might seem obvious but never leave valuable items, such as car radios, phones or wallets, on display in your car. Pop them in the glove box, or better still, take them inside overnight.
Check your insurance
It’s worth double-checking exactly what your car insurance does and doesn’t cover you for if the worst happens.
Whether it’s checking for regular software updates or fitting tried-and-tested steering locks, there are plenty of easy steps you can take to help bolster your car’s security against keyless car theft.
All advice in accordance with Auto Express guidelines.
