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Is Remote Keyless Entry Any Safer Than It Used to Be?

Posted by Cliff on from the hoping-for-improvement dept.

Clue4All asks: "The time has come for me to start looking for a new car to buy after the winter snows have come and gone. Every car I'm interested in seems to come standard with Remote Keyless Entry with all their models. Has this technology become safer since I last bought a car? I remember seeing a news story years ago about burglars receiving signals used to open garage doors, and Google turned up articles like this from a few years ago. Apparently, some keyless entry systems now use "code hopping," which changes the signal after each use, making copying the signals pretty hard. I've requested information from a few car companies as to whether they employ such technology, what are your findings? Are these safe? I ask because I live in an apartment complex, not that I'd worry about anyone living around me doing something like this, but the thought is still there."

2 of 138 comments (clear)

  1. Not relevant by Kj0n · · Score: 5, Insightful

    First, to answer your question: remote keyless entry has become a lot safer in the last years.

    However, this is not so relevant. When people want to steal your car, they will steal it. No anti-theft system is completely safe. Even when it is impossible to open your car, they will simply wait for you to open it. This means that the best solution is to discourage people from stealing your car. Buy a model that is not too attractive. Don't leave your car in unsafe neighbourhoods.

    One last suggestion: if someone shows up and threatens you, just give him the keys. Your life is worth much more than your car.

  2. The question is... by joto · · Score: 5, Insightful
    The question is: "What does your insurance company say?" Because in the end, people will find a way to steal your car if they want to.

    Secondly, I doubt anything new could be much more unsafe than a mechanical key system. It takes me about 5 minutes to get into an older car, and a professional burglar will probably be driving it away faster than it takes you to find the right key.

    If you have an alarm, again it will take me approximately 5 minutes to disable (about 7 seconds to disable the horn), and the professional burglar will probably do it a lot faster (since he has done it so many times before, and also because he doesn't worry too much about electrical insulation, etc...)

    If you are really worried about people using a programmable IR remote to steal your car, you should shift the area of worry. I'll be happy to line up 20 people in less than half-an-hour who could easily steal your car without such advanced equipment.

    Here's what you really should be worried about: Is my keyless system expensive enough for someone to steal it? Will someone steal my alarm? Is my car-stereo visible outside, and expensive enough to be worth the trouble? Do I usually keep my wallet in the front seat? Is my car much more expensive than my neighbours or workmates? Etc...

    In the end, it turns out insurance companies have done most of this thinking already, so you could just ask them.