Cars are getting smarter every year, manufacturers are clogging them with electronics to the eyeballs, and this, of course, affects their price. And the more expensive the vehicle, the more offensive it is to part with it, because for hijackers a good car is a tasty morsel. To protect against theft, there is such a device as an immobilizer. The literal translation means “immobilization”, from which it becomes clear what the principle of the immobilizer is and how it protects against theft. Different types block different parts of the car (blocking the engine, wheels, gearbox, etc.).
The car can be equipped with a standard immobilizer, immediately from the manufacturer's factory, or it can be installed later by the car owner. It is worth noting that a regular immobilizer is not always good, especially in domestic cars, because it’s not in vain that car dealerships recommend not activating it at all. Although they say that now the situation has changed for the better, and the standard immobilizer of the new version is no longer so bad.
Let's take a closer look at several varieties in order to better understand what an immobilizer is in a car, whether it is needed, and how it works.
There are two main types of immobilizers:
- mechanical;
- electronic.
Mechanical immobilizers
Steering wheel lock
This type of anti-theft has been around for a long time. The most common mechanical option, often combined with an electronic one, is a steering immobilizer. Working in conjunction with the ignition lock, it does not allow the steering wheel to turn until the key is in the lock. Another variant of this system is a long stick with clamps, which is put on the steering wheel and does not allow it to spin. I think many have seen in foreign films how a similar lock is placed on the wheel of an arrested car, such a device completely eliminates the possibility of movement. 
Gearbox and pedal immobilizer
Blocks the gear lever, which makes driving such a car simply impossible. In the case of a pedal lock, the attacker will not be able to press the pedals, which means that he will not be able to drive such a car on his own either. Agree, who needs a car, let's say without brakes or clutch, there can be no talk of any driving.
There are also a number of varieties of mechanical immobilizers, but they are gradually giving way to more advanced, electronic anti-theft systems.
Electronic immobilizer
This is the most sophisticated and advanced system that can provide you with almost one hundred percent confidence that your car will not be stolen. Electronic ones can also be divided into two groups. At the same time, they can perform completely identical actions, for example, engine operation is blocked. They differ only in the way the protection system is deactivated:
- contact. To turn off, you will either need to bring the key to a certain place, or insert it into the hole;
- contactless. The immobilizer master key simply needs to be brought a certain distance to the car, and it will turn off the system. The distance can differ significantly, some have a range of 15-20 meters, while the other works only in the immediate vicinity of the immobilizer master key.
Engine Immobilizer
In order to go, the car must, at a minimum, be started. If the car is equipped with an engine block, then the attacker is unlikely to be able to move. At the same time, everything can be arranged as if there is some kind of breakdown in the car, and that it is it that does not allow the car to move. It's no secret that the most reliable protection is the one that is not visible. The hijacker will not look for the reason why the car does not want to start, he would rather choose a new object for himself. And this means that your car will not go anywhere without your knowledge.
Fuel Immobilizer
The fuel line has a long length, and the installation of shut-off valves in several sections will be an excellent protection against theft. In this case, fuel simply stops being supplied to the engine cylinders, and it is not possible to establish the cause at the place of theft. It is virtually impossible to track where such valves are installed, because they are placed in different places.
Other immobilizer options
On cars where a computer controls various systems, the functions of the immobilizer connected to it make it possible to issue faulty commands to perform certain tasks. For example, a fuel injection system that receives the wrong commands and works haphazardly will prevent the engine from starting, and it will not work. 
The electrical circuits of the car, namely the incredible number of wires, gave impetus to the development of another perfect immobilizer system. A few transistors in the circuit that disrupt its operation - and the job is done. You need to be great, or rather a huge specialist, in order to find in all this bundle of wires what is preventing the car from moving.
GPS and GSM immobilizer
Another great immobilizer option, remotely controlled via satellite or mobile systems. In addition to the fact that they allow you to track the location of the car with an accuracy of several meters, it can also be stopped at any convenient place, for example, next to the police station, and the criminal will not have to go far in order to surrender.
conclusions
We found out that an electronic immobilizer is a necessary and useful thing, and it has only one minus. If you lose the immobilizer key, and this happens, you will encounter difficulties, because the car will not be able to regard you as its own until you present it with the main argument - the key.
When the first steam cars began to drive on the roads, no one could have imagined that after so many years this useful vehicle would become one of the most sought after in the world. Unfortunately, in addition to the interest of ordinary citizens, the car hijackers became interested, whose ranks are constantly replenished. Today, in this silent battle with intruders, car owners have to put in a lot of effort to protect their "iron horse" from being stolen.
Now, along with reliable security systems, experts recommend installing modern systems, namely immobilizers (which are also called immo). Devices of this type perform a different function. Firstly, the usual alarm system drives potential hijackers away from the vehicle, and the immo does not allow the hijacking to take place. Secondly, with certain knowledge and the availability of modern devices, an attacker can read the car alarm code even while being at a distance from the car. The immobilizer in this situation cannot be hacked. That is why more and more machines coming off the assembly line are equipped with additional protection. To understand how the immobilizer works in a car, consider the principle of operation of these devices.
Regardless of whether you purchased the Ghost immobilizer, Starline or a device from any other manufacturer, the principle of operation of the device will be the same. In order to start the car, its owner just needs to insert the key, unlock the steering wheel, apply power to all components and crank the starter. If an immo is installed in the car, then an electronic power supply will be connected to the ignition process, which, thanks to special software, will determine the authenticity of the key in a split second. If it is regarded by the device as a fake, then the main circuits of the car (starter, ignition, fuel supply) will be blocked, and the hijacker will not go far in such a car.
The immobilizer itself consists of the following elements:
- The control unit (ECU), which by and large is the "brain". The control unit receives signals from vehicle components, processes them and, based on the reliability of the source of such signals, gives the necessary commands.
- electromagnetic relay. This part is responsible for breaking the power supply to the main components of the machine, as a result of which the car is immobilized or starts to “jump”.
- Fuel valve blocking the fuel supply.
- The ignition key that activates the system.
A special chip is installed in the key, thanks to which the owner of the car is identified, so it is better not to lose this element, because, otherwise, neither the hijacker nor the car owner himself will go far. Instead of a key, some systems use cards or key fobs.
When choosing an immobilizer, it is worth considering several varieties of this device.
Types of immobilizers
Previously, immobilizers were produced exclusively with manual control. This means that to activate the system it was necessary to dial a special code known only to the driver. Since such systems involved key switches, it was not difficult for hijackers to find the right combination. The fact is that the number of code combinations in this case is 10 to the power of N (the number of keys for entering a command). Another disadvantage of contact immo is that the attacker knows in advance exactly where the device is installed, which again only plays into the hands of the hijackers. Today, such anti-theft systems are a thing of the past and have been replaced by electronic counterparts.
Immobilizer systems that differ from each other are now more popular, namely:
Contactless immobilizers
The principle of operation of such a device is that the receiving antenna of the system is located along the trim of the car interior. Immo control is carried out using a special key fob or card (popularly called "tags"). The main advantage of such immobilizers is that the system is hidden from prying eyes, so the hijacker will know about the presence of immo only when he tries to start the car. Contactless tags may differ in the following parameters:
- Small range. If the device works at a distance of no more than 10-20 cm, then the driver must get into the car and bring the tag to the receiving device, after which the system will unlock all the circuits of the car and allow it to start.
- Large range. In this situation, the driver can send an unlock command from the key fob before getting into the car.
The first type is considered less reliable, since the hijacker can track your actions and find out where the immobilizer is located in the car. Devices with a large range are more reliable, in addition, thanks to a modern transcoding system, even if an attacker uses a "grabber code", he will not be able to do anything with the information received. Among the best manufacturers of such systems, it is worth highlighting the Pandekt and Pandora immobilizers.
Protection on the move
This type of immobilizer works on a different principle. Such devices are also called "smart". For example, the Starline i95 immobilizer, which helps even in the event of a forcible seizure of a vehicle. If the driver is thrown out of the car, then the car will move for some time, after which a breakdown will be simulated, that is, the systems will gradually turn off and the stolen car will stop. Robbers in this situation prefer to throw a "catch" and hide from a crowded place as quickly as possible. In 99% of cases, vehicles equipped with such immobilizers remain intact.
The design of such immo provides for some blocking feature. The circuits that a conventional immobilizer breaks remain connected when the engine is running. Thanks to this, the hijacker will simply not be able to find the lock. Especially if you have purchased a microimmobilizer, which is a special relay that controls the central unit through automotive wiring and high-frequency signals. It is impossible to neutralize such an immo, since wires do not go to it. In appearance, such a relay is no different from a conventional automobile one. It is worth noting that in some systems there can be up to 10 such immo. To find all the blocking elements, the hijacker will have to break his head and spend a lot of time.
Wired and wireless devices have their own advantages and disadvantages. In the first case, the data comes from the control unit to the relay through wires. In the second variant, commands are transmitted via radio waves. If we talk about which type is better, then definitely wireless models allow for increased reliability, since even if the hijacker detects the head unit, he will not be able to determine the location of the circuit break. In wired devices, an attacker can easily close the circuit and steal a car.
Even the most popular security systems fail and sometimes the driver is unable to start his car. In order to revive the immo, it must be found (which is not always easy to do).
Where are immobilizers located?
Many motorists sooner or later begin to be interested in the question of where the immobilizer is located on Prior, Kalina and other car brands. Immo can actually be placed at different points of the vehicle, for example:
- The immobilizer (Kalina) is most often located behind the control device. Outwardly, such an immo is a small black box of approximately 5x10 cm. In order to pull it out, you will have to unscrew all the bolts that connect the immobilizer to the control panel.
- The immobilizer in Renault models is located behind the main console, next to the radio. To remove the device, you will need to remove the twenty-pin connector from the control unit and cut off 18 and 9 wires according to the corresponding diagram.
- The immobilizer (Priora) consists of several types of antennas, most often it is a ring antenna, which is located along the contour of the ignition switch. This type of immo is located on the lock tongue.
Since any electronics can start to “fail”, it will be useful to know where the immobilizer is located on Kalina or another car. In this case, you can resume the system or even bypass it.
In custody
Can an immobilizer completely replace an alarm? Definitely not, as we've said time and time again that what works best is a complex system that will thwart any of the auto theft plots. In addition, both of these security devices perform completely different functions, which individually cannot protect your car with a 100% guarantee.
Today, almost all manufactured cars are equipped with standard immobilizers, but only a relatively small number of drivers use this useful device correctly. Many, when installing any additional security equipment, turn off the immobilizer altogether, making a huge mistake, because it is this device that can become an insurmountable obstacle for intruders who are trying to steal a car. To avoid such mistakes, we suggest getting to know this mysterious device better.
Purpose and functions of the immobilizer
What is an immobilizer and what is it for? Such a device is an electronic unit that is connected to the wiring of the car. Its main task is to exclude the possibility of the car moving on its own. To do this, the module disrupts the vital electrical circuits of the machine.
Unlike car alarms, which, when the sensor is triggered, turn on the siren and light indication, this module works covertly. That is why it is quite difficult to detect such an electronic unit, and even more so to neutralize it. In addition, many immobilizers are able to emulate erroneous signals that confuse the car's ECU, forcing it to incorrectly process the signals received from electronic sensors, thereby preventing the successful start and operation of the engine. As a result, the car is not able to drive under its own power.
The device and principle of operation of the immobilizer
A typical electronic device most often consists of the following elements: the control unit itself, the identification module and the executive relays. In addition, a variety of sensors can be included in the kit.
The immobilizer works as follows. After the car owner turns off the engine and arm the car, the immobilizer will automatically turn on and the engine cannot be started until the device determines that this action is being performed by the owner. Most often, owner identification is carried out by recognizing the label of the ignition key. A special label is embedded in the native key, which deactivates the immobilizer when the key contacts the lock.
However, there are other varieties, for example, the immobilizer can be controlled using a remote key fob, or it can respond to the owner's fingerprint. In some cases, to unlock the lock mode, you need to enter a special code.
During operation, the device does not betray its presence in any way, but the electrical circuits of the car either remain open or break when an alarm is triggered. In the second case, as soon as an attempt is made to start the engine with the security module turned on, the control unit receives a signal that the identification has not been passed and the vehicle immobilization algorithm is activated.
The operating modes of immobilizers can be different. As mentioned above, the most budget models simply break the power circuits of important nodes, using wired relays connected to the break, which are normally open, for this purpose. That is, as soon as the immobilizer receives the correct signal from the owner, the contacts are connected and the car can start moving on its own. Without the permission of the module, the car remains immobilized. And most often, for reliability, not one, but several circuits are blocked. For example, the power of the fuel pump is turned off and at the same time the power of one of the sensors is cut off.
More complex models have a slightly different algorithm of operation, in addition to the basic elements, they may include additional sensors: movements, positions, and others. Accordingly, the principle of their work is different. Such an immobilizer does not block the operation of the engine immediately after switching on, but only monitors the state of the sensors. As soon as they work, for example, from the fact that the attackers climbed into the cabin and started the engine, a special algorithm of work begins to operate. The immobilizer can issue a false ECU command and a banal malfunction will appear on the on-board computer display, for example, it will say: “Signal error from the crankshaft position sensor”, although in fact other circuits of the engine ECU will be blocked. As a result, the car will stop.
Some immobilizers do not work immediately, but a few minutes after the car starts moving, so that the car is immobilized in a place inconvenient for intruders, as an option - in the middle of a busy intersection. Seeing a false inscription on the screen, most criminals will think that a normal breakdown has really occurred, which cannot be fixed in a limited time and will simply leave the car where it stopped.
Types of immobilizers
According to the type of activating device, all anti-theft devices can be divided into:
- contact, that is, those that require manual activation to disarm;
- contactless, devices operating in automatic mode, regardless of the actions of the owner.
Contact devices can be activated in the following ways: by pressing a special, discreetly installed button, by manually entering a code, using a key card, a remote control key fob, and in other ways.
Contactless immobilizers automatically recognize the owner as soon as a special radio beacon enters the detection radius. Most often, such a beacon is integrated into the ignition key. Often, the owner of a car with a contactless immobilizer does not even realize that such a device works in his car.
In addition, all anti-theft devices of this type can be classified according to the type of locks used into:
- wired - data exchange between the control unit and the relay occurs via wires;
- wireless- the immobilizer transmits commands to the relay using radio waves.
If we compare them, then wireless immobilizers provide a much higher degree of protection, since even if the head module is detected, it will be very difficult to find the places where the power supply circuits are broken, which cannot be said about their wired counterparts, where, following the wire path from the computer, you can see the relay and close the circuit again.
immobilizer crawler
In practice, it often becomes necessary to disable the immobilizer, for example, in order to install a new security system. Often, a regular anti-theft device comes into conflict with the installed car alarm, as a result of which both devices cannot function correctly.
It is unlikely that it will be possible to remove the built-in immobilizer on your own, as the developers are trying to make it almost impossible to dismantle the anti-theft device. In some cases, if the immobilizer control unit is located in a separate housing, it is possible to remove the standard anti-theft device without any problems and close the broken circuits. However, manufacturers often integrate the immobilizer directly into the head electrical control unit of the car, so it is not physically possible to remove such a device.
The best way out of this situation – use the so-called immobilizer bypass module. Such a module imitates identification and sends a true signal to the immobilizer sensors, not allowing the latter to block the engine, which, in turn, allows you to install any anti-theft system without any problems.
Many motorists, knowing that their car is equipped with a native anti-theft device, fundamentally do not set a car alarm, others, on the contrary, tend to turn off the immobilizer and put on a car alarm, since modern alarms have built-in locks. In order to answer which of them is right and who is not, let's compare the car security complex and the anti-theft device.
Differences between car alarm and immobilizer
It should be noted that these two devices perform completely different functions. Immobilizer – actually immobilizes the car, without revealing its presence in any way, that is, it simply does not make it possible to steal. Car alarms, on the contrary, are designed to scare off potential intruders. When the sensor of one of the protected zones is triggered, the siren and light indication turn on. This means that it is much easier to detect and neutralize car alarms.
That is why it is at least incorrect to compare these two devices, since they perform different tasks, and their coordinated work in pairs is necessary to ensure a high degree of car protection. Currently, an immobilizer is a mandatory attribute for any car. That is, it is desirable that a car alarm and a separate good immobilizer be installed on the car.
Which one is the best?
Regular immobilizers do not always cope with their task, since their location and principle of operation have long been no secret to anyone. If you choose from a range of anti-theft systems, then it is better to give your preference to non-contact type immobilizers. Moreover, it is desirable that the electromagnetic relays are not connected to the electrical circuit control unit, but exchange data using radio signals. In addition, to improve the protective qualities, it is recommended to install a complex that has a complex algorithm of operation and interacts directly with the electronic control unit of the car.
An immobilizer that has the above qualities, even when paired with a budget-class bidirectional car alarm, will provide a completely acceptable level of car protection. Of course, provided that it is correctly installed, and its work will be consistent with the work of the security complex.
Every owner of the car is worried that his "iron horse" does not go to the hijackers. So let's talk about being in the car. This is such equipment that can prevent the movement of the vehicle under its own power. It simply breaks or blocks the power supply system, ignition, and so on.
True, it happens that the installation of an immobilizer involves a different scheme of work. In this case, the attacker will be able to start the engine and even drive a few tens of meters. However, after that, interruptions begin in the operation of the engine, after which it stalls. It will no longer be possible to start it, and the hijacker will be left alone with a faulty car in a crowded place. As a rule, the car is thrown by the criminal.
Device
What is an immobilizer in a car, perhaps, understood. As for its device, the anti-theft agent is equipped with three, less often two circuit break relays. So-called "micro-immobilizers" are also used. These are relays that the central unit controls using high-frequency signals transmitted through the car's standard electrical circuit.
Many of you have heard about how With an immobilizer, which is mainly installed in the back of the cabin, this is not easy to do. It is almost impossible to find it due to the fact that no wires are connected to the device. And if the microimmobilizer is mounted in it, the ability to distinguish it from other fuses is reduced to zero.
At least a dozen
We continue to understand what an immobilizer is in a car. It is fair to say that such microdevices can be installed in unlimited quantities. Some owners order them and 10 pieces. Imagine how long it will take the hijacker to at least detect them all, not to mention neutralize them.
Recently, contactless immobilizers have become more and more in demand. In this case, the receiving antenna is hidden in the place specified by the customer under the skin, and the control is taken over by a plastic card or key fob. When getting into the car, the owner is required to bring the key fob or card to the antenna, as a result of which all circuits will be unlocked, and the car will be disarmed. Or it will be enough for the driver to carry a card in some pocket, and the system will automatically recognize it.
domestic market
Domestic manufacturers today can offer several excellent models of immobilizers. One of them is equipped with a single relay, which is controlled by a dedicated wiring unit and can block the ignition when the driver tries to start the engine without having a transponder card with him. It doesn't matter if it was started before or not, the engine will start/continue to run and the car will start moving. After a short time, the immobilizer will simulate a malfunction (interruptions will begin in the operation of the power unit). After that, the movement will be stopped.
Another model is also equipped with one relay as standard, however, it is capable of more, unlike the above. A microimmobilizer is already mounted here, controlled by the standard wires of the machine. This device allows you to install up to ten such relays. As we have already said, the more of them there are in the car, the more difficult it is for an attacker to steal.
What to choose?
Some motorists do not stop arguing about what or immobilizer. Therefore, we will express one more opinion on this matter. Alarms are much more expensive than immobilizers, and they are also not as compact. It will be just great if the latter become an addition to the car's factory security system.
What about if immobilizers become an independent protection device? And even this is quite real. After all, there are three advantages over signaling. Now we will consider them.
Advantages
Firstly, the possibility of being smartly hacked by a hijacker is very low. This is due at least to the fact that the immobilizer "communicates" with the card or key fob at a very short distance, while the car alarm radio signal covers a significant area. Therefore, the so-called "radio interceptors" in the case of the first will be ineffective.
Let's consider another situation. In some auto services, thieves may choose your car. If this happens, employees will be able to make a duplicate of your key without any problems, as well as program a key fob for themselves, which will "make friends" with your car alarm. But copying the key from the immobilizer without having the appropriate card is almost impossible.
Secondly, you need to mention the dimensions. Immobilizers are so small that their hidden installation can really be called hidden. Conscientious installers are able to hide this equipment so skillfully that the hijacker simply will not be able to determine where this anti-theft device is located even for a long period of time.
Thirdly, it is passive protection. The immobilizer allows you to implement the so-called "robbery protection" without the presence or participation of the driver.
Finally, some helpful tips. Be sure to get at least two active keys. One, of course, will always be with you, put the other in your house. If the loss of the first occurs, the second will allow you to continue driving the car independently.
If at least one immobilizer key is lost, be sure to recode your system as soon as possible. Until you do this, the car is at risk of being stolen. Also, do not keep this key together with all your keys in one bundle.
To increase the recognition range of the card, orient it parallel to the antenna plane of the reader. Do not trust the installation of anti-theft equipment to non-professionals. It can also lead to unfortunate consequences. Now you understand what an immobilizer is in a car and what are its advantages over an alarm.
An article about the immobilizer: what kind of device it is, what it is for, how it works, types of immobilizers, advantages and disadvantages. At the end of the article - a video about the immobilizer.
The content of the article:
The number of cars today significantly exceeds the number of garages and guarded parking spaces. As a result, many car owners are forced to leave their vehicles just on the street, in the yards, each time risking becoming a victim of a car thief.
In order to reduce the risk of car theft, automakers spare no effort to develop a variety of protection methods. One of these methods is the immobilizer.
What it is
An immobilizer (from the English root “immobilize”) is a device that prevents an attacker from starting a car by blocking the operation of the main technical components of the vehicle. When you try to steal a car, this device opens the power supply circuits in the ignition system, starter, fuel pump, on-board computer.
In the modern automotive world, the immobilizer is considered the most effective anti-theft device.
Very indicative in this respect is the fact that a large number of insurance companies refuse to conclude a car insurance contract with the car owner against the risk of theft if the car is not equipped with this useful device.
Visually, the presence or absence of an immobilizer on board the car is not possible to determine. Sound signals, like a classic anti-theft alarm, it does not give.
An important feature of the device is that even if the criminal manages to turn it off, the interrupted power supply in the supply chains will not restore it. Sometimes this feature can create problems for the owner of the car, but we will talk about this later.
It is noteworthy that the immobilizer was created by ... the most common Soviet motorists. The eighties in the USSR were marked by a sharp increase in the number of cars among the population, and, as a result, a sharp increase in the number of thefts.
Cars were stolen, as they say, "to meet", because in those days their search seemed almost an unrealistic task for the police. There were no markings of parts that did not allow dismantling a car for spare parts for other cars, no modern chip codes, no such strict “transparent” registration of car numbers: everything was done much easier, which means that it was not difficult for criminals to bypass the system and sell stolen equipment in any convenient way.
Convinced that there was no need to wait for help from the police, car owners took the solution of the problem into their own hands. Driving schools of that era taught to more carefully understand the structure of the car, releasing not so much drivers as mechanic drivers.
Craftsmen figured out that with the help of a "secret" button, you can block the operation of the engine at a time when the car "sleeps" on the street. The button was mounted somewhere in the car interior, its location was known only to the driver and was often masked by something.
Pressing the button opened the power supply circuit going to some important aggregate unit of the automobile engine. It was possible to make the machine work only by turning on this secret switch. As a rule, power was cut off in the ignition circuit between the coil and the battery, in the starting circuit between the starter and the battery, or in the ground circuit.
In addition to the usual device, even more ingeniously invented modifications with a “delayed” opening of power circuits were in use. The car thief started the car and even drove it out of the parking lot, but then the car stalled. The only way out for the criminal was to leave the car on the street.
They hid the "secret" in various places, even under the driver's seat or under the stove. The invention turned out to be very effective: at first, car thieves were pretty puzzled, the wave of thefts even began to decline.
How the device works
The modern principle of the immobilizer has not changed much since the eighties of the last century. When you try to hack, the most important electrical circuits of the car are opened, and only the car owner has the key that can fix the problem.
Modern electronic devices have made their own adjustments to the device, allowing the car owner to configure and control its functions. The way the immobilizer is turned on has changed - there are modifications that require manual code entry, and there are those where an electronic key is needed. The key or code is requested when trying to start the car.
If the correct value is received, the car starts, if not, it remains “dead”. In the event of an attempt to hack the device, all vital systems of the car are blocked.
Another complication compared to the initial design of the device is a closing relay at the points of breaking electrical circuits. Even if the entire immobilizer system is hacked bypassing such a relay, it will not be possible to overcome the protective barrier - the relay will wait for the computer's control command and still will not close the circuit.
Immobilizers are also turned on from various external inputs. Some respond to the rocking of the car or a change in its angle of inclination, others to a shock sensor or to the inclusion of an audible alarm.
At the moment, we can confidently say that the immobilizer is the basis on which a full-fledged complex of anti-theft car security can be deployed.
This device includes three main components:
- electromagnetic relays;
- control system;
- activation key.
The control system signals the activation of the device, distinguishes the signals from the key. The activation key allows the car owner to turn the entire system on and off.
As a rule, in modern cars, immobilizers come as standard, installed in cars directly at the factory.
If there is no immobilizer in the car, and there is a desire to install it, it should be understood what types of this device are now available to car owners:
- contact type immobilizers;
- non-contact type immobilizers;
- immobilizers designed to protect the car while driving.
The disadvantage of the contact type is that the receiver can be found by a criminal and neutralized.
Immobilizers contactless type but compare favorably with their predecessors in that the receiver antenna is mounted inside the car interior trim, and it is extremely difficult to find it. Such an immobilizer is activated using an electronic key fob or card.
The disadvantage of this type is, perhaps, only a small range of the antenna: to transmit a signal to it, you have to carry a key fob or a card very close, and this can indicate to a criminal who is spying on a car he has chosen a place where the antenna is hidden.
Immobilizers with delayed activation- the most interesting type of this protective device. It does not turn on immediately, but after a while, when the car is already “on the go”. The engine stalls, and the criminal finds himself on a busy road. He has only one way out - to leave the car and flee.
This type of immobilizer is good if the car owner was attacked, the keys were taken away, but the key to the immobilizer itself was not found.
Launch key issues
The immobilizer key sends signals to the control system. Often, the electronic key is combined with the ignition key, it is an electronic card or key fob.
If, when starting the car, the necessary signal is not received by the control system, or the wrong signal is received, the system considers the situation as an attempt to steal, and the engine stalls.
If the key is lost or damaged, you will need to take a new key and reflash the system, "acquainting" it with the new access code.
System firmware
If the system has service access, it can be obtained using a pin code. If you have a pin, official car services can make a duplicate of the immobilizer access key, which will be registered (“flashed”) in the system.
All operations with the immobilizer are carried out in a car service only if the motorist provides a complete package of documents confirming the ownership of the car.
Device problems
If the immobilizer fails for some reason, and you need to start the car, you can bypass its operation using an emulator device. The emulator is installed in the control unit and blocks the operation of a faulty immobilizer.
The race of protective anti-theft vehicles and the tricks of car thieves is an eternal story that will exist as long as there are cars and the temptation to get rich at someone else's expense.
The immobilizer in this competition is an excellent way to protect the car, allowing you to relatively calmly leave your "iron friend" for the night in the open. What will be the further evolution of this protective device - time and technical progress will show.
Video about the immobilizer:
