How to Protect Your Car from Being Stolen
2024-05-27
LRC
TXT
大字
小字
滚动
全页
1Most recent cars have an electronic key that lets the owner get into and start the car.
2The electronic key is called a "fob" to those who know about the technology.
3The fob sends a short-range signal to the car.
4As the owner gets close, the fob unlocks the door.
5But the new technology also makes it easier for criminals to open the car without the key.
6When you lock your car and take the key with you inside your home, the fob does not stop sending its signal.
7Thieves, who have special equipment known as scanners, will pass by streets with a lot of cars.
8If the scanner shows that a fob is sending a signal, the thieves use a device that clones the signal and opens the car doors.
9Government officials around the world have asked carmakers to warn car buyers of the risks of the new technology.
10They also have asked them to make the fobs more secure.
11Until then, what can you do to prevent your car from being stolen?
12Steve Launchbury has some suggestions he shared with the Associated Press.
13He is the head engineer of automotive security company Thatcham Research based in Britain.
14"It's relatively easy for drivers to protect themselves," he said.
15The first tip is to put your key into a protective container or bag when you get home.
16One kind is called a Faraday bag. They are not very costly.
17The bag is made from a special metal material called mesh that blocks the signal from the fob.
18Just do not forget to put any extra keys you have into that bag, too.
19Some advice that is easy to find online says people should put their keys into the microwave or freezer to prevent their signal from being stolen.
20Launchbury said that does not work and it could harm your key.
21You may have seen large locks that go across the steering wheel in television advertisements many years ago.
22It turns out they are still useful.
23They may be considered "old school," but the presence of big locks that are easy to see makes car thieves turn away.
24The only problem is that you must take extra time to unlock the device and put it away before you can drive away.
25Some car makers permit owners to deactivate the signal sent out by the fob.
26For Ford, Honda and Audi, owners can use their car's touchscreen system to find the correct way to turn off the signal.
27For Toyota, you can turn off the signal by pressing a combination of buttons on the fob.
28Read your car's owner's manual to be sure how to do this.
29Some car makers include motion sensors on their key fobs.
30If the fob has not been moved in a while, the fob turns off.
31If you buy a used car, some experts suggest that you get your keys reprogrammed in case the earlier owner still has a key.
32Launchbury said some cars have a new system called a controller area network, or CAN.
33The network permits different parts, or components, of the car to communicate with each other.
34He said some thieves are trying to join the CAN through some physical electronic connection to unlock the car.
35They can do this by removing a headlight and plugging in a device that lets them in the car's network.
36The device can send a signal, such as "unlock" or "start" to the central system.
37Launchbury said this is where the physical lock can cause thieves to change their mind and force them to move on.
38Owners can also consider electronic immobilizers.
39These devices prevent a car from moving even if a thief gets into the internal system.
40However, immobilizers can be costly.
41I'm Dan Friedell.
1Most recent cars have an electronic key that lets the owner get into and start the car. 2The electronic key is called a "fob" to those who know about the technology. The fob sends a short-range signal to the car. As the owner gets close, the fob unlocks the door. 3But the new technology also makes it easier for criminals to open the car without the key. 4When you lock your car and take the key with you inside your home, the fob does not stop sending its signal. 5Thieves, who have special equipment known as scanners, will pass by streets with a lot of cars. If the scanner shows that a fob is sending a signal, the thieves use a device that clones the signal and opens the car doors. 6Government officials around the world have asked carmakers to warn car buyers of the risks of the new technology. They also have asked them to make the fobs more secure. 7Until then, what can you do to prevent your car from being stolen? 8Steve Launchbury has some suggestions he shared with the Associated Press. He is the head engineer of automotive security company Thatcham Research based in Britain. 9Place your key in a protective bag 10"It's relatively easy for drivers to protect themselves," he said. 11The first tip is to put your key into a protective container or bag when you get home. One kind is called a Faraday bag. They are not very costly. The bag is made from a special metal material called mesh that blocks the signal from the fob. Just do not forget to put any extra keys you have into that bag, too. 12Some advice that is easy to find online says people should put their keys into the microwave or freezer to prevent their signal from being stolen. Launchbury said that does not work and it could harm your key. 13Get a steering wheel lock 14You may have seen large locks that go across the steering wheel in television advertisements many years ago. It turns out they are still useful. They may be considered "old school," but the presence of big locks that are easy to see makes car thieves turn away. The only problem is that you must take extra time to unlock the device and put it away before you can drive away. 15Change the settings 16Some car makers permit owners to deactivate the signal sent out by the fob. For Ford, Honda and Audi, owners can use their car's touchscreen system to find the correct way to turn off the signal. For Toyota, you can turn off the signal by pressing a combination of buttons on the fob. 17Read your car's owner's manual to be sure how to do this. 18Some car makers include motion sensors on their key fobs. If the fob has not been moved in a while, the fob turns off. 19If you buy a used car, some experts suggest that you get your keys reprogrammed in case the earlier owner still has a key. 20New theft techniques 21Launchbury said some cars have a new system called a controller area network, or CAN. The network permits different parts, or components, of the car to communicate with each other. He said some thieves are trying to join the CAN through some physical electronic connection to unlock the car. They can do this by removing a headlight and plugging in a device that lets them in the car's network. 22The device can send a signal, such as "unlock" or "start" to the central system. 23Launchbury said this is where the physical lock can cause thieves to change their mind and force them to move on. Owners can also consider electronic immobilizers. These devices prevent a car from moving even if a thief gets into the internal system. However, immobilizers can be costly. 24I'm Dan Friedell. 25Dan Friedell adapted this story for Learning English based on a report by The Associated Press. 26_________________________________________________ 27Words in This Story 28range -n. distance 29thief -n. a person who steals 30clone -v. (technology) to make a copy digitally 31relatively -adv. when compared to other similar things 32old school -idiom in an old way or used by older people 33touchscreen -n. a flat electronic screen that people touch with their fingers and use to control a computer 34manual -n. a book or file that give instruction about how to use and maintain a device or product 35sensor -n. a device that identifies a physical force such as motion, heat or light and communicates it electrically to another device