Drivers in a 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.”
Another possibility, however, is that thieves are using jamming devices to block the signals for remote central locking. Ford security expert Simon Hurr has the following advice for owners 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 around the car, maintaining a position of directly facing the car at all times.
- While walking slowly around the car, press the unlock button repeatedly.
- When the car unlocks, the source of radio frequency interference will be behind you (your body blocks the jammer).
The problem of keyless car theft
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 a signal from the key fob inside a home or office. Doing so allows them to replicate this signal and unlock the car.
Many popular Ford models, including the Puma, Focus, Kuga 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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