This new report features full descriptions of the range of smart key systems currently available to the motorist and demonstrates how they perform against the standards issued through Thatcham by the UK insurance industry, the only official standards published in Europe to date.
Reports show car manufacturers have to improve to meet new UK insurance standards
SBD's analysis of the systems currently available for the BMW 7 Series, Mercedes-Benz S-Class and Volkswagen Touareg reveals that in their present form, none would meet the criteria newly announced by Thatcham, the UK motor insurance repair and research centre. Although the reports focus on specific models, SBD is aware that the same issue is being faced by an increasing number of manufacturers as the smart key option moves from the luxury sector into higher volume market segments.
The thorough research SBD has prepared on each model provides an invaluable resource for vehicle manufacturers and system suppliers. The reports can be purchased on an individual basis and the purchase of all three brings the added benefit of a complimentary report, which provides a summary and comparison of the systems tested together with an analysis of their performance against the Thatcham smart key criteria.
Unless carmakers and their systems suppliers are able to refine their equipment to meet the new standards (which will be enforced from May 2005), they face higher insurance group ratings for their vehicles, increasing the cost of ownership burden for the motorist and the risk that the vehicle will be stolen.
David Bell, Managing Director of SBD Ltd, said: "Technology that's convenient for the motorist may be an open door for the criminal. Our technical and practical assessment of smart keys protecting some of the highest quality cars on the market reveals that work remains to be done to achieve the rigorous Thatcham criteria on future models."
Thatcham's assessment of security looks at both mechanical and electronic protection, taking into account how easy a vehicle is to break into and how effective the safeguard offered by the immobiliser and/or alarm systems is. There are specific (security) issues with smart keys that could more easily allow a thief to gain access to the vehicle and in some cases be able to start and drive the vehicle away.
"We believe all manufacturers, not just those covered in our study, have a tough challenge on their hands to satisfy the Thatcham criteria. Our reports provide them and their systems suppliers with an invaluable resource, providing comparisons of the major features of each vehicle with the Thatcham standards and awarding an overall star rating," said Mr Bell.
SBD's research will continue in the second half of 2004, concentrating on models in the higher volume market, which will typically use cost-optimized smart key systems.
Electronic "smart keys" are an increasingly popular feature on new cars, providing motorists with higher levels of convenience with automatic unlocking and engine immobiliser release functions. A detailed study by leading European independent technical consultants SBD Ltd reveals that manufacturers of some of the most desirable cars on the market have more work to do if they are to bring their smart key systems up to new UK insurance industry standards.
** Due to the confidential nature of the report content, your request to purchase SBD's security reports will be vetted by SBD's security team, prior to any sale agreement. **
This new report features full descriptions of the range of smart key systems currently available to the motorist and demonstrates how they perform against the standards issued through Thatcham by the UK insurance industry, the only official standards published in Europe to date.
