Keep an eye on your cars.

http://news.com.com/Gone+in+60+seconds--the+high-tech+version/2100-7349_3-6069287.html?tag=st.num

I'm assuming our Lexus has 40-bit code?

Haha, Gotta love the end part, that is so blunt.

Anyway, there was a previous article already discussed, and it says it takes 20 minutes to decode and steal the vehicle.

I figure if someone is targeting my car to steal it, they are probably going to steal it. Both a $100 alarm system and a $1000 alarm system will not do much to stop a professional thief. It may delay them a bit, but at the end of the day, your car will get stolen. Thats why the best thing to have isnt a car alarm, its car insurance.

I figure if someone is targeting my car to steal it, they are probably going to steal it. Both a $100 alarm system and a $1000 alarm system will not do much to stop a professional thief. It may delay them a bit, but at the end of the day, your car will get stolen. Thats why the best thing to have isnt a car alarm, its car insurance.

Wrong kinda thinking. Even proffesional thieves want to get something that will give them the least hassle as possible.

Personally I think the best route is to mix old tech with high tech. Have a fancy keyless entry system? I bet you even a proffesional thief, will not be expecting a and old school toggle switch hidden about or a few hidden about in a high end vehicle.

That and it should be legally allowed to.. end thieves. We dont need that kinda crap in todays society.

Pager alarm anyone? It will alert you of an attack so you can take appropriate action :boxing: or :overhere:

I figure if someone is targeting my car to steal it, they are probably going to steal it. Both a $100 alarm system and a $1000 alarm system will not do much to stop a professional thief. It may delay them a bit, but at the end of the day, your car will get stolen. Thats why the best thing to have isnt a car alarm, its car insurance.

Well, some may disagree as the overall value or piece of mind that a theft deterrent device offers is far greater than mitigating loss through insurance. In some occasions, the cost of a theft deterrent system is recovered in insurance premium savings (as a result of having a professionally installed system).

Back to topic - the RFID and wireless vendors supplying these remote entry/keyless ignition technologies really need to be pressured by consumer and insurance groups to upgrade their encryption key length to 128 bits AES or ECC.

really disturbing but ive already come to the conclusion that nothings safe

Do we know if the GS is a 40 or 128-bit encrytion? I can't find it anywhere the official site.

Also the official site states that the GS 430/350/450h utilize an immobilizer. How can that possibly be as there is no key?

"Engine Immobilizer
A tiny transponder embedded in the key sends a personal identification code to the engine control computer. Unless the system reads the proper code, the computer will not enable the ignition and fuel injection, thus immobilizing the vehicle. "

http://www.lexus.com/lexus-main/models/GS/detailed_specifications.html

Do we know if the GS is a 40 or 128-bit encrytion? I can't find it anywhere the official site.

Also the official site states that the GS 430/350/450h utilize an immobilizer. How can that possibly be as there is no key?

"Engine Immobilizer
A tiny transponder embedded in the key sends a personal identification code to the engine control computer. Unless the system reads the proper code, the computer will not enable the ignition and fuel injection, thus immobilizing the vehicle. "

http://www.lexus.com/lexus-main/models/GS/detailed_specifications.html

The immobilizer doesn't have to be embedded in the key. It could be in the remote. Also, if you had a one of those Lexus' that had the immobilizer in the key, you would have also gotten the spare flat key (The on on that credit card sized plastic) that had the immobilizer chip on the plastic case. To start the car with that key, you would have to hold the case near the ignition.

there was a post on an article not too long ago about someone's car getting stolen and the insurance company would cover it because it had the immobilizer and it couldnt possibly get stolen (in their words) so they didnt cover the guy's loss.

I wonder how much of a PITA it would be to convince your insurance that it was stolen!

Well I guess parking faaaaaaaaar out in the parking lot to get away from cars is no longer a safe idea!

Personally I think the best route is to mix old tech with high tech. Have a fancy keyless entry system? I bet you even a proffesional thief, will not be expecting a and old school toggle switch hidden about or a few hidden about in a high end vehicle.


il hafta agree with this but its getting harder and harder to put such a simple fail-safe on increasingly complicated cars :(

that being said, my LS and my dad's LS both have some "surprises" ;)

One of the oldest tricks we used to do when I worked at a dealer long ago to the cars we parked in a different lot was to pull the ECU fuse. It kind of worked the same as an engine immobilizer, only low tech. The good thing is most thieves would never bother to check the fuse:p

Thats awsome. I new it was only a matter of time before thses unstealabele cars would become stealable.

really disturbing but ive already come to the conclusion that nothings safe
i agree, nothing is safe anymore. if they want to take it, they will. bottom line is just try to stay in a good community where things are relatively "peace", that's the best you can do imho

End of the article says...

"Until changes are made in the keyless systems, any car we buy will definitely have an ignition key that can't be copied by a laptop."

I think that last part should be CAN be copied by a laptop, right? :uh:

I wonder if the new fingerprint technology will be a better deterrent?
Like the Maxima's now have.

Funny cause I always thought that these types of cars were almost impossible to steal unless you had a Dealer Key or a tow truck. WOW.

i agree, nothing is safe anymore. if they want to take it, they will. bottom line is just try to stay in a good community where things are relatively "peace", that's the best you can do imhoCar thieves tend to go to the better neighborhoods to steal cars because folks in those neighborhoods seldomly have bells and whistles installed in their cars to deter theft. Most high-end cars are stolen from posh neighborhoods, then dumped in the not so posh neighborhoods.

Wow thats shocking.I should chain my LX from now.;)

CK - thanks for the info. I found out soon after my original post what you're saying here - that the transponder in the fob defines it as such. As for my other question, Lexus does use 40 bit encryption.

And foo, I hadn't heard that particular story, but yes, there are countless stories about insurance companies incriminating the owner long before they pay up - especially on a car with an anti theft system defined as an immobilizer, which is widely believed by insurance companies to be virtually impregnable.

I say...try this old school gadget - it has never lost one vehicle....!!http://www.nohotwire.com/