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The electric immobiliser/alarm system was invented by St. George Evans and Edward Birkenbuel and patented in 1919. [2] They developed a 3x3 grid of double-contact switches on a panel mounted inside the car so when the ignition switch was activated, current from the battery (or magneto) went to the spark plugs allowing the engine to start, or immobilizing the vehicle and sounding the horn. [3]
SecuriLock, also known as Passive Anti-Theft System (PATS), is an immobilizer technology that Ford began using select Ford as well as Lincoln, and Mercury models. Each key have a radio frequency transponder embedded in the plastic head with a unique electronic identification code.
In the case of vehicle theft, the best deterrent to theft is in the installation of an approved vehicle anti-theft passive immobilizer. Many vehicles have factory-installed anti-theft units, which provide protection through the ignition system. Under the hood there is a computer that controls the operation of the engine.
With the release of Ford Sync, Microsoft renamed the platform from "Windows Mobile for Automotive" to "Microsoft Auto". [10] Microsoft again renamed the operating system as "Windows Embedded Automotive", and updated its version to 7 on October 19, 2010. [11] This is the latest in MS Auto category, and is based on the Windows CE platform. [12]
Car alarms should not be confused with immobilizers; although the purpose of both may be to deter car theft, they operate in a dissimilar fashion.An immobilizer generally will not offer any audible or visual theft deterrence, nor require any more input from the driver than from the driver of a non-immobilizer car.
The Federal Trade Commission includes VIN etching on a list of upsold services including extended warranties, service and maintenance plans, payment programs, guaranteed automobile or asset protection, emergency road service, and other theft protection devices, and warns consumers about the practice of upselling when buying a vehicle. [1]
Vehicles with a smart-key system can disengage the immobilizer and activate the ignition without inserting a key in the ignition, provided the driver has the key inside the car. On most vehicles, this is done by pressing a starter button or twisting an ignition switch .
An anti-hijack system is an electronic system fitted to motor vehicles to deter criminals from hijacking them. Although these types of systems are becoming more common on newer cars, they have not caused a decrease in insurance premiums as they are not as widely known as other more common anti-theft systems such as alarms or steering locks.