http://www.reuters.com/audi/newsArticle.jhtml?type=technologyNews&storyID=7474529

So what if it is?

well for starters I would expect nice vehicles like the LS to end up on the top of the most commonly stolen vehicle.

http://www.woodtv.com/Global/story.asp?S=2875797

notice ford is int he list. I for onw intentionally sought out vehicles with this feature when I was shopping having been a victim of vehicle theft more than once.

Wont happen. PATS, PK3, Sentry or any other OEM RFID system needs to see the Key RFID durring ignition power up. If this ID isn't present durring ignition power on, the ECM will NOT allow the engine to start. You can not turn on the ignition, and THEN try to show the ID after. So in other words, the code would have to be aquired prior to ignition power up.

In addition to this, Vehicles with RFID, or any other sort of immobiliser, will put themselves in a "theft lock" mode after a set number of failed attempts. For instance, on the Ford PATS system if the code is not aquired within a few try (cant remember exact amount, but its less than 6 im sure) The PATS system will not recognize anything for 10 minutes, EVEN IF IT IS THE CORRECT CODE! This is also why the dealer has to program a PATS key if you only have one other valid key: Even with the dealer computer, when programming a second key to any PATS equpped vehicle, the NGST computer makes you wait 10 minutes before programming the second key. (Of course if you have 2 keys to begin with, programming takes a matter of seconds).

So, basically..... what im getting to is..... It's not happening unless the thief is planning on spending a decent amount of time in your vehicle.

Well at least for the moment we know that it is possible just not probable. I witnessed first hand how hard it was to stop cell phone hackers. It did not take long for cell phone piracy to become a booming business once the methodology became public knowledge.

The chop shops do just as well as if not better than the cellular pirates and a big carrot like this is all they need to motivate them to refine the techniques. For the moment they may have some problems but it will not take the ill intentioned very long to overcome these minor obstacles.

No that it has been reverse engineered all someone has to do is build a test set and sell for educational purposes. That is how cell phone cloning began and thrived until the industry developed countermeasures.

Basically, someone’s kung fu is always better. Hopefully the automotive industry will see the writting on the wall and get out of this system while the getting is good.

A case of this happened here in Jax, I think it was here or maybe around here. They didn't steal the car, just the stuff inside it, cell phones, wallets, cd players.

I don't know the year or make of the cars that were broken into, but I don't think the 6 try factor would deter any motivated theif from trying another car.

Uh, they can't open the car with the PATS code.