In a message dated 9/25/99 11:35:30 AM Pacific Daylight Time,
larryhoy@prodigy.net writes:
> Simon, what would they be trying to accomplish with this device?
>
> Larry Hoy
> http://pages.prodigy.net/larryhoy/
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: owner-mgs@autox.team.net [mailto:owner-mgs@autox.team.net]On
> > Behalf Of Simon Matthews
> > Bob,
> >
> > in terms of this proposal, it is an electronic device which prevents the
> > vehicle from being started, usually with a remote (radio) control. In
> some
> > cases, they have an electronic device built into the key.
> >
> > Simon
Europe has a tremendous car theft problem. When cars over there get stolen
and go east (into the old Soviet Union) they are gone and not to be returned.
The theft problem got so bad that insurance Co. told car makers that they
would not write theft insurance on new cars unless they became more theft
proof. Immo is a result of that. On the cars that I teach on (Volvo) there
is a chip in the key and a transponder (antenna) around the key hole. When
the key is inserted and turned a magnetic field is created by the transponder
and modified by the chip. This is very similar to the technology used in
store anti-theft systems that have the wands at the doors that pick up the
tags that the clerk left on you new purchases. If the chip modifies the
magnetic field in a way that the Immo unit recognizes, then the Immo and
Engine Control Module compare passwords (Immo has to give a proper password
to ECM and ECM has to give the proper code word back) if all is OK car
starts, if wrong pass words given, no start.
Bottom line, I could give you a key that fits a brand new Volvo, and you
would be able to turn the key in the lock but the car would not start.
(Unless I had done the programing to "Marry" the key to the car)
How you would apply this system to a 30 year old car with no electronics is
beyond me. After all my B can be hot wired with a nickel.........
Rick
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