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Keeping track of thieves
24 August 2009
The recent explosive demonstration of microdot technology, in which laser-etched identification dots survived the blowing-up of a car, shows the lengths to which the motor industry and its suppliers must go to defeat thieves. Up to 10 000 microscopic dots are applied to about 90 positions on a vehicle. Thieves can no longer conveniently file off vehicle identification and chassis numbers.
Because such systems are usually considered "grudge" purchases, most consumers opt for the cheapest and most convenient. So when Richard Timm of Matrix vehicle tracking says system buyers should "select a company with an established track record that you are sure will weather the kind of economic storm we are currently in", his message is probably falling on a lot of deaf ears.
The "grudge" attitude may also be coloured by the view among some consumers that tracker technology has progressed little in recent years. Timm says: "In the early days, vehicle owners were excited to know where their vehicle was and that it had been recovered. Now they can know the exact location via satellite, be alerted if anyone is tampering with the vehicle or if the vehicle is heading into an unauthorised zone and so much more."
