When the Car Unlocks for Somebody Else

Proximity keys are genuinely convenient: the car senses the fob nearby, unlocks, and starts on a button. The convenience and the vulnerability are the same feature — the car is deciding you are present based on a radio conversation, and radio conversations can be relayed.

How the relay method works

In simple terms, one device is held near the key, often close to a wall of the house, and a second is held near the car. Together they extend the range of the exchange so the car believes the key is beside it. Nothing is broken and no glass is smashed, which is why owners often report no damage at all — just an empty space in the driveway.

A separate family of attacks works through the car's own diagnostic port or wiring to program a fresh key. Different method, same outcome, and it usually leaves more evidence behind.

What actually helps

• Distance. Keep keys away from exterior walls, front doors and windows. A drawer in the middle of the house is better than a bowl by the door.
• A signal-blocking pouch or tin for the key overnight. Test it — put the key in, walk to the car and confirm it does not open.
• Motion-sleep mode. Many fobs can be set to go dormant when they have been still for a while. The manual will say whether yours does.
• A physical layer. A steering or pedal lock is unglamorous and effective, because it turns a silent two-minute job into a loud one.
• Where you park. A garage removes the geometry the method depends on.

Where insurance sits

Theft of the vehicle is a comprehensive matter, subject to your deductible, and it does not require forced entry to be a theft. Be straightforward with the adjuster about how the car was secured and where the keys were; the investigation is routine and honesty is the fastest route through it. Keep every key you were issued — being able to produce them all is often part of the process.

The part worth planning for

Replacing modern keys and reprogramming a car's immobiliser is not a small job even without a theft. If you have lost keys or bought a used car with only one, get a spare made before you need one, and ask what your policy says about lost-key replacement, because that provision varies and some carriers do not include it at all.

If your car has proximity entry and you are running liability-only, that is a gap worth pricing out with us.