Effective low-tech against car theft

There’s a story – probably apocryphal – about the American space programme spending millions designing a pen which would write in the zero gravity of space.

Then the Russians showed them what they used … a pencil. Sometimes, technology doesn’t always make things better.

A case in point is modern cars, the fanciest of which come with keyless start systems. Presumably, this makes an owner feel superior because they don’t have to use dinosaur tech.

The downside, though, is that the fancy radio frequency devices can easily be hacked, intercepted or even copied so that thieves can, literally, be “gone in 60 seconds” with your very expensive pride and joy.

Toyota South Africa has, commendably, done something about this in its high-end Toyota and Lexus SUVs, which have been targeted by the tech thieves.

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They are by no means the only company whose products are targeted, though. In the UK, a tracking company estimates that as much of 94% of the stolen vehicles it recovers have keyless entry and start systems.

Toyota has introduced security enhancements, but it advises that owners also get themselves a “Faraday Pouch”, which screens radio signals. There is also, like the Russian pencil, an effective low-tech deterrent – an old-fashioned mechanical steering lock.