Drivers in a UK supermarket car park were left puzzled when their car key fobs stopped working. According to news reports, North Hertfordshire Police said it received a number of calls from people who were unable to unlock their vehicles.
This followed a similar incident in Kent, where shoppers could not open their cars. At the time, a spokesperson for the RAC said: “These fobs work on a very low frequency, so radio masts shouldn’t interfere with them.
“Things like CCTV cameras and baby monitors run on the same frequency, however, so it’s a common problem in town centres.” But could there be another explanation?
How to boost your car key signal
If you are unable to open your car, another possibility is that thieves are using jamming devices to block the signal for the car’s remote central locking.
Ford security expert Simon Hurr has the following advice for drivers who suspect the signal between their car and key fob has been compromised:
- Place the key fob under your chin with your finger on the unlock button
- Tuck your chin down to shield the fob as much as possible from any radio frequency jamming device in the vicinity
- Walk slowly around the car, maintaining a position of directly facing the car at all times
- While walking around the car, press the unlock button repeatedly
- When the car (hopefully) unlocks, the source of radio frequency interference will be behind you, as your body blocks the signal jammer
The keyless car theft problem
Signal jamming in a public place is one example of criminals using technology to target unsuspecting motorists. Keyless car theft is when two criminals use a relay box to pick up the signal from a key fob inside a home or office. Doing so allows them to replicate this signal and unlock the car.
If the vehicle also has keyless (push-button) start, they can simply drive it away. The thieves don’t even need to break a window or force the lock.
Many popular Ford models, including the Puma and Mustang Mach-E, use keyless entry key fobs with a sleep mode. A motion sensor inside the car detects when it has been stationary for longer than 40 seconds and triggers a shutdown, so the key won’t respond to attempts to hack its signal.
Simon Hurr added: “The online availability of devices which have no place in public hands has long been a problem for Ford, our industry and crime fighters. We are pleased to respond with a simple but effective solution – swiftly implemented to help protect owners of our top-selling cars.”
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