Digital car keys sound like an effortless way to access a vehicle. They allow drivers carrying smartphones to unlock or lock the doors and remotely start the vehicle. Some apps make it possible to control the interior temperature of their vehicle prior to getting into the car. This comes in handy on frigid and hot days. Drivers can cool down or warm up the vehicle before entering.
They may not even have to interact with the phone. Some digital car keys automatically respond when the smartphone is close by. While some fobs prevent owners from locking themselves out of the car, it can still happen. With digital automotive keys, being locked out of the vehicle will be a thing of the past. They can also help prevent the cost of replacing expensive key fobs.
In some cases, owners can add their digital automotive keys to their Apple wallet. They can remotely grant access to the vehicle to people like a babysitter or guest with their iPhones or Apple Watches. Google also has a similar setup for those with a device running at least Android 12.
That all sounds great, but are digital car keys secure? Are they worth it? Unfortunately, a lot can go wrong with them. According to Tracker, keyless theft reached an all-time high in 2020 as 93% of recovered vehicles were stolen without physical keys. FleetNews reports the number of keyless car thefts went up to 94% in 2022.
Smartphones have security protection built in. How is it possible for thieves to steal vehicles that rely on digital car keys?
How Can Digital Automotive Key Theft Happen?
Many of the thefts related to digital car keys occur through a relay attack. The way it works is thieves use a hacking device to intercept short-range radio waves like RFID signals from a digital key fob. The vehicle recognizes the signal as legitimate and unlocks the doors and starts the vehicle.
A relay attack tends to take two people to pull it off. They may use two relay boxes to fool the vehicle into thinking the digital car key is nearby. The relay box is a device with the ability to receive and retransmit signals. One crook stands near the car with a relay box. The other also holds a relay box and stands close to where the digital keys are stored. This kind of crime happens quietly as there is no smash and grab involved.
This is just one way car thieves operate. They’re also getting more sophisticated as they keep beating manufacturers’ attempts to implement strong encryption systems. A new type of attack is called controller area network (CAN) injection. With this method, thieves go around the back to circumvent the anti-theft system to break into a vehicle’s internal network.
What Can Be Done About Digital Car Key Thefts?
Crooks continue to find ways to break into any security the automotive industry implements. The Car Connectivity Consortium, made up of carmakers and technology professionals, is developing standards and solutions to create secure digital keys. They’re working to counter these attacks by using ultra-wideband (UWB) technology to prevent relay attacks.
The difference between UWB technology and RFID signals is that the former can precisely calculate the location of a digital automotive key. However, not all manufacturers have invested in UWB technology. Instead of UWB, some car manufacturers have incorporated near-field communication (NFC) or Bluetooth Low Energy (BLE) systems.
NFC technology requires the smartphone to be within a few centimeters of the door to lock or unlock it. BLE has a longer range, which makes it more susceptible to break-in. It’s possible for a manufacturer to design digital car keys to support UWB, NFC, and BLE. The disadvantage of UWB technology is that it’s more expensive to implement and may take longer before it goes mainstream.
How Dealerships Can Fight Digital Car Key Thefts
Educate your customers on how to protect their digital keys and key fobs. Going the extra mile with this education could potentially turn them into lifelong customers. Advise owners to store their keys in the middle of their home away from the front and back doors. The point is to put them somewhere far from thieves who stand outside of the home.
It may be worth it for owners to obtain Faraday cages to block electronic signals like those sent from fobs and digital car keys. Faraday items come in different sizes such as wallets or small bags. They can even use a clean empty tin can to store their fobs.
Not only are dealerships dealing with digital automotive key theft but also catalytic converter thefts. These thefts show no signs of slowing down. It’s a big problem for dealerships with so many vehicles on their lot. Dealerships should have a security strategy in place. It needs to be reviewed at least once a year to remain effective. Review the nine steps to secure your dealership.
Catalytic converter and car thefts happen fast. By the time a traditional security system notices it, the thieves could be long gone. This is because most traditional security systems are reactive. They don’t deter car thefts. They don’t have the ability to react or foresee potential criminal activity until after something happens. In some cases, they may not know something bad is happening.
Dealerships need proactive professional-grade-level security to help catch something before it happens. This proactive technology can help ensure someone acts before a crime occurs. This high-tech security technology involves security professionals designing a video surveillance system. They install security cameras for the best views of the entire business and its surrounding property.
There’s one thing this technology needs to convert it from reactive to proactive security and that’s real-time monitoring. For the most effective security, the monitoring should be done by humans and technology. Trained monitoring operators work in conjunction with video analytics. Individually, they have strengths and weaknesses. But when you put them together, it closes a lot of security gaps and adds multiple layers of security.
The job of video analytics is to scan all the video cameras for a match to any one of its many programmed scenarios. When it finds a match, it’s not always positive. That’s where humans come in. They review the video and can respond appropriately to the situation
For a situation where there are suspicious individuals at the dealership, the monitoring operator can use an onsite speaker to give a verbal warning to the intruder, letting them know they are being watched. The monitoring operator is not on the lot. They’re in a safe location elsewhere. Because their lives are never at risk, they can respond in the best way to the situation. There is no fight or flight instinct that could prevent them from stopping the potential crime.
Thieves are becoming more brazen. So, the audio warning may not work. The next step is to call the police. While a patrol car is on its way, the security professional can follow the intruders. They can provide updates to the police. As soon as the police arrive at the lot, they are more likely to find and apprehend the suspects before they cause any damage.
Benefits of Video Monitoring Beyond Digital Car Key Theft Deterrence
Video cameras with remote monitoring offer many benefits not available in other security systems. This security technology has helped customers enhance operational efficiencies and boost productivity.
Some customers use video surveillance footage to train employees. The video clips can show the right and wrong ways to do tasks. They can help management determine if they have the right number of employees on site at the right times of the day.
For a list of questions to help you interview security companies, refer to choose the right video surveillance service. Every industry has different requirements and regulations. The first thing you want to consider for your dealership is finding a security provider with experience in working with the automotive industry and dealerships.
Clients who choose ECAM have access to innovative security technologies and solutions. Many of them have seen a return on their security investment within months. Securing your dealership with remote video surveillance can help protect people, assets, and everyone’s vehicles. At the same time, it could save on costs and reduce liability.
Watch these videos of how ECAM deterred crimes at dealerships:
- Dealership prowlers caught
- Automotive dealership burglar busted
- Three masked burglars arrested at a dealership
- Thief tries to steal tires at a dealership
- Nighttime loiterer stopped at an auto dealership
Moreover, ECAM has an advantage in having locations across North America in the U.S. and Canada. The security technology company has strong partnerships with many local law enforcement agencies.
When law enforcement knows the call comes from ECAM, they know it’s not a false alarm. This is because ECAM has video verification before reaching out to law enforcement.
To learn how to protect your dealership from digital car key theft, check out the Advanced Key Management Guide. It provides five key commandments to stop inventory theft. If you have questions about dealership security, please contact us.
