Car security inspection body Kiwa SCM announces it will no longer approve cars fitted with an unsafe smart key from next year. The move could lead to problems for car owners, as insurers demand a Kiwa SCM-certified security system for more expensive cars in particular.
Smart keys, also known as keyless-entry systems, make it possible to open and start a car without having to insert the key into the ignition. For this, the key only needs to be in the immediate vicinity of the car, so users can leave the key in, for example, their jacket pocket or bag. However, this convenience also carries risks. For instance, it has long been warned that car thieves and burglars are capable of amplifying the signal emitted by a smart key, so that a vehicle can be started while the key is still in the owner's jacket pocket.
Relatively easy to steal
Kiwa SCM cannot say how often cars fitted with a smart key or keyless-entry system are stolen or how often these vehicles are broken into. However, such a theft is relatively easy to carry out. For example, using a device they can cobble together themselves, criminals can capture the signal from a smart key, amplify it and transmit it to a keyless-entry system. This is enough to gain access to the car and even start it.
In some models, thieves can additionally drive away with the vehicle even if the key is left in the victim's house. This is possible due to a built-in security measure. "If the car key battery runs out in the middle of the motorway, you don't want the car to stop," security researcher Roel Verdult of FactorIT explains to NOS. "The directive is that if a car is running, it will keep running until the driver turns it off."
Stealing a car with a keyless-entry system is demonstrated by Kiwa SCM in the video below.
'90% of cars with keyless entry are vulnerable'
That a keyless-entry system is vulnerable to criminals is not new. For years, various organisations including Kiwa SCM have been warning about the risks posed by such systems. Nevertheless, far from all car manufacturers have taken measures to curb this misuse. "Even 90 per cent of the cars rolling off the assembly line this year that have such a system are vulnerable," Henk van Vliet of Kiwa SCM told NOS.
BMW is an example of a car brand that did take action. The carmaker has built a motion sensor into smart keys of newer models. The key only sends out a signal if this sensor detects movement in close proximity to the key. This reduces the chances of a criminal succeeding in capturing and transmitting the signal emitted by the key.
Problems with insurers
Since many cars are thus still vulnerable against such manipulation, Kiwa SCM is now announcing measures to be taken. The organisation is going to tick off cars with an unsafe keyless-entry system while certifying car models from next year. In practice, this means that buyers of more expensive cars in particular with an unsound keyless-entry system may face problems with their insurer. For instance, many insurers require a Kiwa SCM-certified security system in cars with a list value of more than €50,000. If this system is not present, the insurer will not pay out in case of damage or theft. "A buyer of a rejected car can avoid this by having a security system installed himself," Van Vliet told NOS.
Author: Wouter Hoeffnagel
Source: NOS
Source: Kiwa SCM
Source photo: Pixabay / PublicDomainPictures
