Satellites Used to Stop Car Thieves in Pakistan

zymurgy_cat writes "Yahoo has an interesting story about a company in Pakistan that uses satellites and mobile phone networks to monitor and disable stolen cars. Looks like they can also monitor people's driving habits and whether or not they're using the air conditioner. The article comments about how much easier it is for them to do things like disabling cars remotely than in Western countries. (Remind me to never rent a car in Pakistan.)"

Comments

This has been available in Australia for years....

[B747SP]

... In fact, several (5-6-ish?) years ago, I made enquiries with insurance companies about premiums and conditions to cover a (then) late model Subaru Impreza WRX car. (The Impreza WRX has the dubious distinction of being very popular with ram raiders, etc, in Australia because it is wideley known to be able to outrun anything the Police have. It's popular enough that a bunch of guys tried to steal one from it's owner and passenger at gunpoint just this week)

Anyhoo, most insurance companies either flat-out weren't interested in covering the car, or asked for incredibly high premiums. One *did* offer a premium in-line with other similar cars *but* with the condition that I have satellite tracking fitted by one of a couple of companies nominated by them. IIRC, at the time, the cost of installing the kit would have been circa AUD$1000-$1500. There was an annual monitoring fee too, don't remember what it was, but it was at least a couple-o hundred bucks.

This whole business of locating a car, waiting for the police to catch up, then disabling the vehicle at a point when the orificer on the scene advises that it is safe to do so is something that has been advertised in car/bike 'enthusiast' circles here for quite some time.