After trying out over 20 models with keyless entry from more than 12 different car manufacturers, Germany’s national motoring body, ADAC, found that every single one of them could be opened and stolen within seconds.
If that doesn’t send a quick shiver down your spine, we don’t know what will, because the thought of somebody stealing your car without even making an effort is disturbing on several levels.
Generally speaking, we sleep well at night knowing that thieves have to work around our car alarms, starting the engine in some really complex manner…you know, things that could eventually get them caught.
But no, it appears that there’s a huge vulnerability around keyless entry systems where all the thief needs is a wireless range extender. As long as the keys are anywhere in the vicinity (inside the house or outside the bar you’re at), the car will open and the engine will start – and that is downright scary.
ADAC vehicle engineer Arnulf Thiemel stated that a thief can drive the stolen car until it simply runs out of fuel – or if he never turns off the engine while refueling, he can “virtually drive forever.”
Automakers definitely need to remedy this issue as soon as possible.