The Future of Car Security: What to Expect in the Next 5 Years

We can’t predict the future so much that we can tell you what the lotto numbers are going to be in the next big draw but there are some signs on what to look out for when it comes to upcoming car security.

As technology becomes increasingly advanced, so do the methods thieves use to steal vehicles. Therefore, car manufactures are having to come up with ingenious solutions to stop car theft from happening so much. We’ll take a look through the future of car security and highlight some of the innovations we can expect to see in the next 5 years.

Emerging Threats in Car Theft 

Listed below are some of the main crimes we have to watch out for as car owners in the current day and what we expect to be targeted in the future:

1.     Relay Attacks on Keyless Entry Systems

Keyless car theft is also known as relay theft, which is where criminals use devices to intercept the signals from your car’s key fob. This tricks your car into unlocking thinking your key is nearby allowing thieves to gain access, start the engine and drive off without leaving a trace.

2.     OBD Port Hacking

The OBD port (On-Board Diagnostic port) is usually located under the dashboard or around the steering wheel and allows mechanics to use their diagnostic systems to identify faults within the car. Unfortunately, criminals also use the OBD port to bypass the cars security systems and program new keys!

3.     EV Charging Station Hacks

Electric vehicle (EV) charging stations could become targets for cyberattacks, which not only compromises the security of electric cars but can lead to credit card fraud and even destabilise the power grid causing blackouts!

Innovations in Car Security 

Due to smarter technology and smarter criminals, auto innovators are evolving to upgrade their latest models to protect the cars from thieves. New auto security ideas include:

1.     Biometric Vehicle Access 

Just like our smartphones, auto manufactures are turning to fingerprint and facial recognition to replace traditional car keys. Some high-end cars include this feature already!

 

2.     AI-Powered Security Systems 

AI is well and truly with us, although it still has its teething issues it is becoming extremely useful, especially in the world of security. Much like your smart doorbell which tracks unknown faces and people approaching your property with an alert sent to your smartphone, AI is now using the same technology when it comes to car security with alerts sent directly to the owner when suspicious activity arises.

3.     Blockchain-Based Car Security 

Blockchain technology can be used to create tamper-proof record of a car’s history, ownership and transactions. This will help prevent unauthorised key duplication and fraud.

4.     Advanced GPS and Geo-Fencing 

Advanced GPS tracking provides real-time locations and updates such as if the vehicle is on or off, idling and more. These advanced trackers can include geo-fencing which some advanced GPS trackers include for an alert to be triggered when the vehicle has travelled out of a designated area and in the future, this could even include the option for a vehicle to be immobilised remotely!

5.     Smart Immobilizers 

Circling back to biometric and AI technology, if a smart car does not recognise the person operating it, it will be able to disable the engine automatically.

6.     Self-Healing Software 

Manufactures are in the works to develop a software that detects security vulnerabilities and fix them before hackers have the chance to exploit them. This is being developed to use over the air software so that vehicles won’t need manual intervention.

How to Secure your Car?

Looking into the future of car security is great but you may be wondering how you can protect your car right now?

-          Invest in a Faraday Pouch

-          Install a GPS-tracker

-          Enable two-factor authentication

-          Keep your smart car software updated