Automatic car alarms are being developed to reduce car theft numbers. These automatic car alarms alter the owner when a vehicle is stolen, and sometimes work with two-way communication systems to return a signal that will incapacitate the car and thwart the robbery attempt but cutting off the fuel delivery to the engine.
This is particularly helpful when the car owner is away from the vehicle and therefore unable to hear an audible alarm. With a traditional car alarm (just ringing), a person out of town without their car may not know for days or even weeks that the alarm was activated. An automatic car alarm will dial a predetermined phone number or even send a text message at the time of alarm activation, to immediately inform the owner of trouble. Some of the systems are so sensitive that the owner is not only informed that the alarm detonated, but the action is specified to let the owner know whether the car was just bumped or is moving.
The automatic car alarm allows two-way transmission of messages, enabling a remote signal to stop the fuel supply to the car in motion. Unless the vehicle is on the back of a tow truck or otherwise moving without being driven, stopping the fuel supply will stop the vehicle, and often curtail a robbery in progress. Many automatic car alarm systems include a GPS component, for tracking the vehicle’s location however it is transported.
This fuel cut-off can also be activated from within the vehicle, allowing a carjack victim to surreptitiously cut off the gas and apply the brakes to stop a carjack from being completed. This functionality means that a person who might have otherwise been helpless in this situation can now play an active role in protecting themselves against carjacking. This feature of some automatic car alarms is well placed to allow the victim access to the function without alerting the thief.
Whether the automatic car alarm directly informs the police of your vehicle’s status, or contacts you for you to call the police, remember that apprehending a car thief is much better handled by law enforcement officials. It might be tempting to try to intercede on your own behalf, but please leave it in the hands of the officials trained to handle the situation.
Word count: 386