In effort to defeat relay thefts, Ford has introduced a new security update which will put your keys to sleep if they have been inactive.
‘Relay box’ technology has been one of the biggest security flaws in motoring of recent times, leading to a spike in the theft of cars which have keyless entry technology. Car thieves have easily purchased sophisticated technology from the internet which has allowed them to enter cars by mimicking the connection signal between car and key.
Now Ford may have come up with a solution by placing a motion sensor within the key fob, which will put the keys into a sleep mode if the key is stationary for more than 40 seconds, effectively making the key undetectable by the ‘relay box’.
“The online availability of devices which have no place in public hands has long been a problem for Ford, our industry and crime fighters,” said Ford’s security specialist, Simon Hurr. “We are pleased to respond with a simple but effective solution – swiftly implemented to help protect owners of our top-selling cars.”
The new technology is already in use on the new Ford Fiesta and will be available in the Ford Focus from May. Current owners can pay a fee to have their security technology updated to the latest system.