At the ETH in Zurich, Switzerland (Eidgenössische Technische Hochschule) one of the professors got a new car, with smartkey, for keyless entry. He offered the car for the test, if the system is secure.
It is not, not at all, definitely not. Read the scientific investigation report here:
Relay attacks on passive keyless entry and start systems in modern cars.
Regular keys aren't secure, either. Without any electronics, without a coded key, or any other way; if auto theft is required, the crooks can steal it.
Right, but the reported improvements seem simpe enough to implement.
My father returned to his car once to find it up on concrete blocks with the wheels, battery and some engine parts gone, but the inside of the car and the trunk were still locked and intact. My solution is to drive a beater with rusty lug nuts in certain areas of town and the Prius everywhere else.
What I like about the new security technology, however, is the ability to track and locate a car -- sometimes during the theft. Seems like that would deter a few of the hackers and professionals.
TKM
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