What is a car anti-theft system and what is it for?

Every day, criminals steal hundreds of cars across the country and the numbers are constantly increasing. An increasing number of car owners are thinking about how to protect their movable property and prevent theft. For these purposes, the anti-theft system is designed, which reduces the likelihood of breaking and stealing a car.

What is a car anti-theft system?

Drivers tend to underestimate the likelihood of car theft by relying on standard security modules. But any car must be reliable and guarantee long-term burglar resistance. The more difficult it is to gain access to the vehicle, the lower the likelihood of theft.

Anti-theft system - a set of mechanical, hardware and software tools designed to increase the protection of a car from theft or burglary attempts. With the help of special devices, an audible alarm is provided to scare off the offender, the car modules are blocked and the theft process is complicated.

Car insurance does not guarantee that the owner will receive full refund. After the hijacking of the car, lengthy proceedings with law enforcement agencies are coming. Until its end, the insurance company is not entitled to make payments.

Functions and purpose

The main purpose of the technical solution is to complicate the process of breaking into a car. An experienced thief can steal any car, the only question is the amount of time spent. Depending on the principle of operation and design features, anti-theft systems can:

• turn on the siren sound to attract attention;
• notify the driver of a hacking attempt;
• block the hood, trunk, windows and doors;
• block the main electrical circuits;
• complicate the process of breaking doors and locks;
• block the steering wheel, gearbox, engine, ignition lock;
• follow the movement of the vehicle via GPS.

All options can work separately from each other. The more functions the system includes, the more difficult it is to access and steal a vehicle.

The main meaning of anti-theft systems

Many car owners are sure that the presence of protective devices completely saves the car from theft. But this is far from the case. With a great desire and time, an attacker will be able to hack even the most sophisticated security equipment.

There are two psychological portraits of the hijacker. The former are focused on the result and will try to steal the car despite the obstacles. They try again until they finish the job or there is a high probability of being caught. The system protects against such burglars only in crowded places, where there is limited time for theft.

The second category of hijackers follows the path of least resistance. If the car does not give in to attempts to break into within 5-10 minutes, they choose another target.

Any car, even the most protected one, can be stolen. The only difference is in the time spent on deactivating the anti-theft devices.

Protection selection rules

Protection against theft and burglary of the car is selected individually for each specific case. When choosing devices, you need to consider a number of details:

• design features of the vehicle;
• reliability and quality of the protective system - good devices are expensive;
• the possibility of maintenance in case of problems in devices, for example, after a hacking attempt;
• warranty obligations of the manufacturer or the company that installs the solution.

It is important to choose complex multi-level systems that separately block different vehicle modules. For example, after turning off the alarm, you need to break the door, unlock the ignition or the engine.

Anti-theft system components

Design features depend on the needs of the owner of the machine. To prevent burglary, alarms and blockers are used in anti-theft systems, as well as additional equipment. Let's consider a few simple options for protection:

• alarm - draws attention to the car with a sound siren when trying to break into;
• GPS tracking system - tracking the car on the map in case of theft;
• lock protection - the traction is removed from the larva, which allows you to open the lock with master keys, and instead, electrical and mechanical methods of opening are used;
• control unit - a standard control element is placed in a special box, to open which it is necessary to remove the battery and other equipment;
• immobilizer blocking - to increase the protection of the circuit, an additional adapter element is used, on one side of which there is an OBD connector, and on the other - a non-standard element.

All of the above elements work autonomously and do not depend on other systems. Car theft is only possible after a complete break-in.

Hard-to-remove marks are used to protect against theft of parts. These parts are difficult to sell and easy to identify on the black market.

Types of anti-theft systems

All protection according to the principle of operation and design features can be divided into conditional types:

1. Electronic stationary anti-theft system - consists of equipment that prevents theft and entry into the car. This includes alarms, immobilizers, various secret elements, satellite tracking of the car.
2. Mechanical system - various types of removable devices that block the components of the car. Locks prevent unauthorized access to the engine, gearbox, steering wheel, gas pedal.

For greater efficiency, it is recommended to combine mechanical and electronic solutions.

What is comprehensive anti-theft protection

A comprehensive anti-theft solution protects all critical elements of the vehicle that can be broken into. Complete solutions consist of details such as:

• signaling;
• electromechanical pins for doors;
• locks for the hood and trunk;
• glass armoring;
• immobilizer;
• engine blocker in the form of a digital relay, etc.

This is not a complete list of equipment that can be part of a complex system. The design and components depend on the manufacturer and the desired level of protection.

Features of standard protection

The standard standard anti-theft system is installed on the vehicle by the manufacturer. This means that the company is developing a general mass market solution with the same configuration and devices. The protection is notable for its low cost and ease of use, which indicates low operational reliability.

Mass solutions are easier to hack, as hijackers have encountered similar security devices more than once. To increase reliability, additional elements must be used.

Given the growing number of thefts, anti-theft solutions need to be installed on all vehicles. Insurance and OEM devices cannot prevent theft or compensate for losses. It is cheaper to counter theft than to deal with its consequences.