vortex111

Hello,

I live in Southern Ontario (Canada), where thieves are relentlessly targeting and stealing Lexus/Toyota vehicles. My understanding is that once thieves gain entry to a car, either via a relay theft or a smashed window, they can program a new key and steal the vehicle in a minute or less. (This past Thursday, for example, there were three brand-new Toyota Tundras stolen in my neighbourhood alone.)

Since I'm on the waiting list for a 2024 Lexus GX 550, I've reached out to my local Lexus dealer to inquire about what additional security mechanisms the dealer recommended.

The salesman informed me that the new GX550 "comes with [a] more advanced antitheft mechanism".

So ... this got me wondering: how true is this? What specifically makes it "more advanced"? Is the 2024 GX likely to slow thieves down if they have access to the ODB port?


I'd add that: I exercise quite a bit of caution with my cars when I'm at home. For example, I park my cars inside a garage over night, I have lots of lighting around my house, motion sensor alarms in my garage, I keep my cars locked, I keep the keys inside in a faraday box, and I have cameras.

That said, I'm concerned about what happens when I'll be traveling in my new GX, and want to understand how much additional prep I should be thinking about for the car to "survive" Southern Ontario --

• ODB port lock?
• "The Club"?
• A fuel cut-off style security system?
• "TAG" GPS tracking?

Thanks in advance for any advice that you can provide.

chibbyy

Supposedly the new NX and RX models have encrypted CANBUS now so the fender-hijack method won't work. I assume the GX will have this as well.

If still concerned you can always do a kill switch or one of those 'ravelco' type products that is basically a second key you put in

Jasonw3

If there is physical access to the OBD, you're probably screwed. I wouldn't trust anything some salesman at the dealer says about the efficacy of "advanced" anti theft measures. A determined thief with techical know how can likely defeat anti theft measures.

Making detection more likely would be a deterrent for some, but hard to do if theives use a relay attack.