It may surprise you to know that car thefts grew by one third in the UK last year. That’s despite the limitations imposed by various pandemic lockdowns.

The fact was revealed by Ford from DVLA figures and equates to 205 vehicles stolen every day on average. With one in three vehicles parked on streets overnight, the chance of vehicle theft is that much higher.

Home alone

Despite many people staying at home amid the pandemic, vehicle crime remains a problem. However, in cities where vehicles may be parked on the street overnight, owners often ignore the alarm, not realising it is from their car, or fail to hear it altogether.

Now Ford has made its smartphone-connected heightened security system, SecuriAlert (formerly known as Guard Mode), available to car owners for the first time.

Once activated, SecuriAlert sends a notification to the vehicle owner’s smartphone. It identifies any vehicle activity, including attempts to open doors or gain access with a key. This allows owners peace of mind when their cars are out of sight – or out of earshot.

 

Simple security

The feature is quickly and easily switched on or off – “armed” or “disarmed” – using the app. Once active, it makes use of the vehicle’s existing sensors to identify if an attempt is being made to enter the vehicle. Using the onboard modem, the car will immediately send a push notification to the owner’s smartphone. The app reveals the time and reason for any SecuriAlert alarms, as well as the vehicle’s last known location.

The car’s security systems – immobiliser, alarms etc – remain live at the same time.

The whole system is simple to turn on and off via the app.

“Whether left on the street overnight or in a car park on a shopping trip, we know our customers care about the security of their car and its contents,” states Richard Bunn, director of retail connectivity solutions, Ford Mobility, Ford of Europe. “Ford’s growing connectivity ecosystem to empower owners with the knowledge that if something happens with their vehicle when they aren’t driving it, they will be the first to know.”

The chances of errant alarms sounding through the night, like thefts, could become a thing of the past.