No Phone No Drive

[pedro666]

from WIRED
interesting new security.
http://blog.wired.com/cars/2005/12/no_phone_no_dri.html

[Jono]

The date on that article is 2005

Funny that they are talking about GPS tracking. I actually have a GPS/GSM tracker on my desk at the moment, it's designed to be fitted to a car, and reports its position to either a phone via SMS or a computer via GPRS. It's a little bit bigger than a pack of cigarettes.

A better solution would be to include a receiver so that you can text message your vehicle with a special code to disable it every time you leave the vehicle. If the car has a GPS system, why not be able to ping it for its location without alerting the thief?

I'm trying to work out what the command is to trigger the tracker's output so it can be used to shut the car down. The manual they provide with these is written in engrish.

[pedro666]

The date on that article is 2005 Tongue

oops

i know the tracking was old , but havnt heard about the 'key phone combo'

[Jono]

Yeah, cool idea but bad in a real world situation. I reckon it'd be too unreliable. Also not all phones would support it or vice-versa. What happens if your phone goes flat and you don't have a charger? Or drown the phone while out fishing, or in torrential rain or drop it in the loo or something?

I say stick to the wireless key, they're relatively waterproof, reliable and have a back up old fashioned key for if they die.

As for security, if these mobile phone systems were common thieves would just start stealing both the keys and the owner's phone. Most factory immobilisers are that good now that you need the key to start the car, so thieves are breaking into houses and stealing keys along with the car, or when people leave them unattended in public.