Break in to a locked RAV4EV with an RF amplifier

[user 340]

A columnist from the NT Times writes that some kids broke into his Prius using a small device that amplified the RF signal from his key FOB that was in his house:

http://jalopnik.com/thieving-teens-likely-used-17-gadget-to-break-into-ny-1698036188

Any comments on this? I'm not an RF engineer, but I'm having a hard time understanding how such a device would work without creating its own feedback. Maybe if it was pretty directional...

Is anybody gonna start keeping their FOB in a Faraday cage in their house?

 

[eschatfische]

It's certainly technically possible. Here's a technical paper on the matter.

However, it sounds scarier than it is:

1) The signal from the key has to reach the amplifier in response. This is unlikely to be more than 30-50 feet in a best-case scenario, and the technical paper says 25. So, if you keep the key in the back of your house or apartment, or your car is parked down the street, you're unlikely to be affected.
2) Your car is already vulnerable to a break-in, which can be accomplished in a destructive manner with no fancy tools and a well-placed fist or foot.
3) Even if intruders are able to start the car, it will be immobilized down the road where the key cannot be reached through amplification.
4) You will be able to see where the car ends up via Entune.
5) The RAV4 EV's not likely to be taken more than 140 miles away. :lol:

Thieves have always broken into and hot-wired cars, this is just a new technique. The safest thing to do has always been to play by "big city" rules - leave nothing in your car and don't enable HomeLink (or at least mod it so that HomeLink is disabled when the car isn't powered).

 

[DevinL]

I agree and I'm not particularly worried, however the RAV4 will not immobilize if it loses comms with the key, as many of us who have had low keyfob batteries can attest. It'll beep at you and say key not found but you are still allowed to drive.

 

[fromport]

I agree and I'm not particularly worried, however the RAV4 will not immobilize if it loses comms with the key, as many of us who have had low keyfob batteries can attest. It'll beep at you and say key not found but you are still allowed to drive.

If you keep the keyfob in the area of the start button, you can operate it even without batteries.

 

[eschatfische]

the RAV4 will not immobilize if it loses comms with the key, as many of us who have had low keyfob batteries can attest. It'll beep at you and say key not found but you are still allowed to drive.

It won't immobilize while it's still in READY mode for obvious safety reasons, but the immobilizer will turn on as soon as the car is turned off when the key is not present. Given that you can't charge in READY, this greatly limits what a thief using this technique would be able to do.