Car security

[artyman]

Came across this today Boffin unlocks cars with text message - Yahoo! Cars not sure if it is a particular vunerabilty for Mercs, but I always used an additional handrake/gearshift lock for years. I appreciate my car has an alarm but now use a locked steering wheel bar. Whilst not totally foolproof I feel it is an additional disincentive particularly being visual, to potential thieves who may choose easier targets. The text message scenario would leave contents vunerable though.

 

[NW_Merc]

The article is supposed to create controversy and fear. Typical American reporting

 

[npuk]

This will only work on cars where the car can be remotely disabled etc like cars with BMW assist, GM On Star, Mercedes Tele Aid. Think all these systems are US ones. It is not as if you can send a text message to any car, they need to have hardware that allows two way communication over the mobile network as cars with the above systems do.