Contents: The more passive the blocking, the…↡ Cabin access and engine start systems ↡ Signaling (sound, light and radio…↡ Engine start blocking or forced…↡ Vehicle return systems ↡
The more passive the blocking, the better
There is no immunity from theft. If a car can be priced, it is potentially a commodity, and therefore an object of theft. What can be stolen will be stolen. The only question is where and when.
The most advanced means of protection are electronic systems – security alarms and anti-theft devices. The purpose of the first is to notify about an attempted theft and to exert psychological pressure on the thief. But what good is it if the car is parked outside and the bedroom windows overlook the yard?! Even if it goes off in time, it causes nothing but irritation in passers-by. The thief won't brag much either, knowing for sure that it was just a scarecrow that went off. And while the owner puts on his sweatpants and goes down the elevator, he can manage to get to the Canadian border. That's why American-type alarms, so popular in the CIS, are not used in Europe. After all, if there is a false alarm, the owner would have to pay for all the police calls to the scene. Fortunately (in this sense), our police rarely react to the car's siren. Only the owner himself runs to its call, forced to first make sure that the alarm is not false and only then call the police. And while waiting for it - try to take back the car. Anti-theft devices are much more effective, more complicated and more expensive at the same time.
Abroad, the best advertisement for a security system is its recognition by an association of insurance companies. Otherwise, it is not worthwhile to stick your nose into the market with it. And what did not work for "them" has now flooded our market. We do not have such an association, so insurance companies are forced to conduct their own examinations.
Let us summarize some of the requirements put forward – we will highlight the main components of the systems according to the degree of protection and evaluate their effectiveness.
Cabin access and engine start systems
Keys
They betray the owner if they fall into the wrong hands. The recently appeared Tlris locks are no exception. Let us recall that there is a coded microcircuit without a power source built into the key, and a reader into the lock, respectively (radio reader), periodically requesting the key. If the microchip is recognized, the system turns off the alarm and unlocks the engine. Unfortunately, Tlris only protects against lockpicks and counterfeit keys.
Remote control keychain
Infrared, radio or ultrasonic communication is used. It is convenient, but it can also betray. And if the battery is dead, it creates only problems: you can't arm the car, or disarm it, or unlock the engine. And at the most inopportune moment. And many have already been thieves of their own car.
The system fails if a jammer is turned on nearby - a broadband noise generator or similar device. And the number of means of opening - scanners, grabbers, etc. - is already not much less than the systems themselves.
Tlris card or keychain
The thing is even more convenient. While it is in the reader's range, it automatically confirms the right to start the engine and drive the car. If the connection is lost (the driver with the card left the car), the engine is automatically turned off. Does not distract the user and provides the highest comfort. But, like other material password carriers, it allows unauthorized access if it falls into the hands of a thief.
An attempt to achieve maximum comfort by using several Tlris media often leads to the exact opposite result – their conflict during the next reading and protection activation.
Typeset password
In secret services, this type of access is considered the most secure. There are two inconveniences - you have to remember the password and enter it. But cars with such access systems are stolen much less often. And entering a password is no more difficult than dialing a phone number. That is why many are already starting to combine a system of inexpensive alarms and anti-theft devices with entering a password for access. And manufacturers have managed to quickly set up their production. In modern prestigious cars, this mode is included in the program of the standard on-board computer.
Systems that require a password to be entered after the engine is started
Otherwise, the engine will be turned off at the first braking or reduction of revolutions. This is their main disadvantage - do not reduce the speed and steal. The second disadvantage is a simplified password, since it must be entered while driving.
Combined access systems
For example, a radio key fob or Tlris card for external security and password access to start the engine. The most stable system in terms of protection.
Signaling (sound, light and radio pager)
Two levels of alarm are used - warning and alarm. The alarm should be turned on if there is no response to the warning. Turned on without reason, it only irritates and soon ceases to attract attention. This is often used by thieves, deliberately disturbing the selected car. Sometimes they use the monotony of siren voices - they put their own with the same siren next to the selected car and periodically turn it on. When the owner stops responding, they move from "training" to action. Therefore, make sure that the sound of your alarm is different from others. Or buy a radio pager.
It will promptly inform you what is happening with the car without unnecessary noise. Some people connect a relay to the pager, which turns on the parking spot light, and with this method they imitate constant surveillance. But keep in mind that the pager is also easily suppressed by a jammer, and there is always a chance to wake up in the morning having slept well, but somewhat poorer.
Engine start blocking or forced engine shutdown systems
Foreign insurance companies require that the anti-theft device ensures blocking of at least three units: starter, ignition and fuel supply. And as a consequence - passive blocking of the engine if the processor does not work (disabled or destroyed).
The active one provides immobilization only when the processor is running. In addition, in order to leave the possibility of using the car if the security system fails, many of them use the mode of normally closed contacts of the blocking relays. This is what car thieves use: it is enough to break the power wire of the main unit - and the entire system is neutralized. To find it even among wires of the same thickness and color, a light bulb with a sharp probe is enough. The insulation of the wire is pierced, the one remaining under voltage with the ignition off is found and the direction of further actions is clear even to a poor student.
If the wires from the blocked circuits converge to one block, this only makes the thief's job easier. The solution takes a couple of minutes. Here again, passive blockers have an advantage, especially if they are microimmobilizers and are scattered throughout the car. And even more so if they are built into the standard blocks of the car, since it is simply impossible to neutralize them with a jumper.
In systems that provide forced engine shutdown, there should be an alarm system warning that something is wrong with the car and that you should stay away from it. Otherwise, there is a chance to return the car, which suffered not so much from the thief, but from unwitting neighbors on the highway.
Vehicle return systems
We are talking about preventing a carjacking. In this case, it is wiser to let the thief drive away and forcibly turn off the engine at a safe distance for you. The mode is usually activated with a special key fob. But the hijackers will most likely take it away, and when driving, they will try not to reduce the engine speed. Since such systems also turn off the engine when the speed drops below a certain level. Or they use a jammer, then there is no need to take away the key fob.
And even more likely - they will drive you around in the car until they find all the traps. Then they will offer to turn them all off, teach you how to do it, and only after that they will throw you out. Then there will be practically no chance of getting the car back.
More precisely, it was like that until recently. Systems have appeared that allow you to block the engine at a distance of tens of kilometers by calling on the phone. We learned about one of them recently, when we received a pager from the LINK Telecom network. The list of included services also included "paging car alarm". The deeper we delved into the essence of the system, the more interested we became. To avoid accusations of advertising, we will not give its name, we will only list the elements that seemed to us the Ace of Base ("ace in the deck").
This is a specialized on-board computer based on the "Intel" processor, trained to protect the car. The system is built on microimmobilizers placed near or inside the object of control. There can be up to eight independent ones. Any reasonable number of alarms and sensors can be included in it. The system is controlled and access passwords are entered manually from a two-button keyboard. Indication of states, confirmation of operations and some prompts are made by a multi-color indicator and musical signals. It is possible to quickly reprogram to change the algorithm of the system. The computer is protected from electric shock or radio interference and remembers attempts to use them. It is possible to install a receiver of paging signals ("Motorola") to receive external commands. The simplest of them is an audio pager: the processor plays one of a set of easily recognizable melodies into the cabin by radio command. In this way, it is possible to transmit conditional messages to the driver without distracting him from driving. The price of the system in the minimum configuration is about two hundred US dollars, with a receiver - twice as much.