RFID-enabled Vehicles: Pinch My Ride 429
Billosaur writes "Wired has an excellent article on the problems with the theft of
RFID-enabled vehicles and how insurance companies are so over-confident in the technology, they are denying claims when such vehicles are stolen. Example: "Emad Wassef walked out of a Target store in Orange County, California, to find a big space where his 2003 Lincoln Navigator had been. The 38-year-old truck driver and former reserve Los Angeles police officer did what anyone would do: He reported the theft to the cops and called his insurance company. Two weeks later, the black SUV turned up near the Mexico border, minus its stereo, airbags, DVD player, and door panels. Wassef assumed he had a straightforward claim for around $25,000. His insurer, Chicago-based Unitrin Direct, disagreed." Their forensic examiner concluded that since all the keys were accounted for, there was no way the engine could have been started, despite the evidence that the ignition lock had been forced and the steering wheel locking lug had been damaged."
Re:Who really telling the truth (Score:5, Informative)
Both of these methods are not only possible, but are common and becoming more common every day, especially on high dollar cars which are a big time target for theft, cadillac escalades and lincoln navigators are high on the list in my neck of the woods...
I question your methodology for assesing this man's involvment as well, you remarks smack of ad-hominem attack fueled by your distaste for his choice of driving a "gas guzzling SUV", however you seem to be suffering from the same shortsightedness that many of the savagely anti-SUV crowd does, you neglect to account for the possible neccesity of such a vehicle, perhaps this many has a large family and a boat which he frequently tows? Oh, but then you'd have to get off your high horse ;)
RFID madness? (Score:4, Informative)
Anyway, I suggest you to fill out the questionaire [europa.eu].
Other intresting consultation links can be found here and [ffii.org]here [europa.eu]. It is important to get more people involved in these political procedures and legislature who actually know what they are talking about. And I would like to spam politicians with the request for 'better interoperability'. Here the regulator has to take measures. I found it very nice that the EU already considered it. "Interoperability, standardization, governance, and Intellectual Property Rights (1 June)"
So maybe it makes sense to report cases like these to the authorities to avoid madness. I guess they do not read Slashdot.
Re:Excuse My ignorace. (Score:3, Informative)
When the RFID token is not present, the computer prevents the car from starting. Without the ECU, your engine can't run. It is vital to the operation of your car. If the software in the ECU actively prevents operation of the car, there isn't anything you can do about it except to load new software onto the ECU that you cooked up (good luck).
Insurers have I got news for you.. (Score:5, Informative)
New cars all come with a little plastic keyring with a tab attached to it. You scratch the surface of this tab to reveal a "Master Key".
This key is akin to the RFID code needed to start the car, the dealer is supposed to give it up to the customer so that he can order a new set of keys, reprogram the other ones etc..
This dealer has some people scratch all of these tags before they are given to the client, because as we well know, joe client will lose this in a blink.
Without this key you need to contact the factory, wait two weeks, pay a fee and than program some new keys.
On this particular brand, you can program/pair up to 5 keys per car if I remember correctly; only 5 keys can have the same code, I you lose one, you can only have four more etc.. After you've lost these you will need to reprogram all keys once again.
My point is that at any level in this process you could have an insider job from the dealer, the manufacturer, or even some thief which goes through the dealer's bin picking these tabs if they aren't securely destroyed.
Forensic evidence for this kind of theft is nearly impossible to tell, the cars ECU don't usually keep a whole lot of historical data.
Nevermind that, if you get ahold of a dealer's servicing computer and a new ECU worth only a few thousand dollars you can actually reprogram the keys without need for the master key (plus you get to keep the ecu and put the old one back in when you abandon the car).
The difficulty with this method however is not damaging the stering column or the physical lock.
Re:Excuse My ignorace. (Score:3, Informative)
To elaborate, cars nowadays have their engine computer-controlled by an Engine Control Unit (ECU). It often does everything from telling the spark plugs to fire to regulating the amount of fuel injected into the engine. When the key hasn't been properly authenticated, the ECU simply refuses to allow the engine to do anything.
Re:Wired had a bit about this last month (Score:5, Informative)
I find that odd, since key blanks are really cheap. That and the RFID industry is claiming the technology is so cheap they can put these tags on merchandise for mere pennies.
Honda can reprogram the immobilizer system even if you have no keys. It does require the dealer's help - just because they have access to the HDS (Honda Diagnostic System) that is required to perform the task:
Each manufacturer does this differently, so there are some manufacturers that have immobilizer systems that cannot be reprogrammed without an ECU change if the master/learning key is lost.
Re:Insurance fraud.... (Score:5, Informative)
Re:Denied (Score:3, Informative)
http://www.abc.se/~pa/publ/titan-own.htm [www.abc.se]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marine_insurance [wikipedia.org]
Re:Insurance companies will seek any excuse... (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Excuse My ignorace. (Score:3, Informative)
in the device housing to allow the manufacturers to easily install the things on the new vehicle and
to easily install a new one if the thing fails (which they do occasionally do...)- all it takes is
is knowing where the ECU is on the vehicle, develop a procedure for swapping it out that takes 10 or
less minutes to execute.
You break in, break the column cover to get the ignition switch access without the key, you swap the
ECU out with power tools and practice behind you and just go. It's not QUITE "Gone in 60 Seconds"
speeds, but it's still within the timeframe of doing the deed and not getting caught speed.
Re:Here's an idea (Score:4, Informative)
eg. if you have a 1000 kg car compared to a 2000 kg car, then the 2000 kg car is causing 32 times as much wear on the road surface, so the road will need repairs much sooner. a 4000 kg car would be causing 256 times the wear.
Re:Apparent InsCo greed aside... (Score:1, Informative)
An insurance company will use ANY excuse to disclaim - and I'll tell you what, if that exaiminer didn't, he would not be working long
Re:Apparent InsCo greed aside... (Score:3, Informative)
At the risk of nitpicking, in the four states where I've registered car insurance, only liability insurance was required. Comprehensive and collision coverage is not required by law, though it will be required by contract if you're leasing or still paying off your car. I typically drop comp & collision coverage when my car gets below $10K in value.
Re:Apparent InsCo greed aside... (Score:3, Informative)
The other test was around $1200, with the insurance company only being charged $740 or so. I payed nothing but a $20 copay out of pocket, but the very fact that the system works this way is repugnant.
Re:Apparent InsCo greed aside... (Score:5, Informative)
The goal of bumping up your premium is not to compensate the insurance company. By having an accident, you have shown your insurance company that you are now in the class of people that have recently had an accident. Statistically speaking, you are more likely to have another accident than someone who has not recently had an accident. Your premium is adjusted to match their new information, not to compensate them for the amount they paid out.
Once you are no longer in this class, your premium will drop back down. Your premium isn't dropping because you've "paid them back"; it's dropping because you are now in the class of people that haven't had an accident in a long time. Statistically speaking, you're less likely to have an accident than you were before, so your premium is adjusted.
Re:In other news (Score:3, Informative)
Re:Apparent InsCo greed aside... (Score:3, Informative)
I agree. But given that having accurate statistics and making accurate risk assessments is the very lifeblood of an insurance company, and the primary way that insurance companies are able to compete with one another, I really have to give them the benefit of the doubt.
But keep in mind that I wasn't trying to explain the increase due to his parked car. That appeared (to me at least) to be an independent thought. I was just trying to explain why premium increases seemed to exceed the actual cost of the claim that was paid out.