Jaguar Land Rover will spend £10million fitting older cars with security to fend off keyless thefts – here's h – This is Money

• JLR spending £10m to retrofit older vehicles dating back to 2018 with latest tech
• Security upgrades available to existing customers through JLR retailer network
• Latest anti-theft system will make some older models – especially Range Rovers – less vulnerable to keyless thefts  

Jaguar Land Rover is taking the fight to keyless car thieves by investing millions to protect customers from the rise in this type of crime, it has announced.

The British brand – owned by Indian giant, Tata – has confirmed it will fork out £10million retrofitting older models with its latest security technology to create a virtual barrier to block the recent spate of hi-tech ‘relay’ attacks on its vehicles.

The recent spike in keyless car crime has seen this become the most common tactic used by organised criminals to steal high-value motors.

And it’s JLR’s Range Rover and Range Rover Sport that have been among the most vulnerable in recent years, appearing high in the list of most-stolen models in Britain.

Here’s how the tech works, which older models will be eligible for the security upgrade and how much it will cost owners…

JLR bosses said the decision to upgrade older models with its latest tech is part of ‘reaffirming its commitment to vehicle security’.

It has found that its latest anti-theft systems in its newest models manufactured from 2022 onwards is far less susceptible to relay attacks.

Since January last year, only 0.07 per cent of new Range Rover and Range Rover Sports on the road with the latest security setup have been stolen, while only 0.3 per cent of new Defenders have been affected since 2020.

And the good news for customers is that the tech can be deployed to some previous generation vehicles – including those that are outside the brand’s three-year warranty – to provide this increased level of protection.

Yet only models built from 2018 are eligible for the security upgrade.

The update will be conducted free of charge at no cost to owners, JLR’s letter to customers confirms, and will be a software fix carried out by its dealer network. 

JLR claims to have already retrofitted some 65,000 older vehicles with the update via its retailers.

It has been contacting known owners directly to let them know they can have this upgrade installed – and JLR is urging those who have not yet taken advantage of the offer should contact their local dealer to arrange having their cars retrofitted with the latest in anti-theft software.

The company says keepers of post-2018 Range Rovers, Defenders, Discoverys and Jaguars should be eligible for the security updates.

In letters sent to owners, JLR says: ‘Your vehicle is eligible for a security enhancement programme that is being provided free of charge to owners of certain models in our range.’

It adds: ‘In conjunction with the police and insurance companies, we are aware of the recent increase in vehicle theft in some parts of the UK.

‘We’re committed to protecting our clients from crime and have a team working closely with the police and other partners on this issue.

‘This proactive approach has enabled us to support criminal investigations, spot emergency trends and quickly develop and deploy effective anti-theft measures.

‘All our vehicles are already fitted with industry-leading security systems that have been rated ‘ Superior’ by Thatcham Research. But to further increase protection and combat key cloning, we have developed a new software enhancement.’

It goes on to say retailers will ‘upgrade the software on your vehicle’ and this will be done ‘free of charge under the terms of this programme’.

The letter adds that the work will be completed ‘as quickly and efficiently as possible to minimise the inconvenience to you’ and dealers will ‘advice how long a vehicle will be needed for once a booking has been made’.

Commenting today, Patrick McGillycuddy, managing director at JLR UK, said: ‘While vehicle theft in the UK is affecting the whole car industry, at JLR we understand the negative impact this can have on the ownership experience for our clients. 

‘Our investment of more than £10 million demonstrates our ongoing commitment to tackling this issue. 

‘Through our long-standing collaboration with law enforcement and key partners, our expert team will continue to develop and deploy effective anti-theft measures to ensure clients are protected. It is my personal priority.’

Range Rovers and Land Rover Discoverys a common targets for keyless car thieves – and it’s sending premiums rocketing 

The move will be welcomed, especially by Range Rover and Land Rover Discovery owners – models that have a high resale value that criminals until now have been able to exploit. 

Official DVLA records show that these were among the 10 most commonly reported stolen cars last year, with 5,533 Range Rovers being pinched in 2022. Only Ford Fiestas were stolen more often during the 12-month period.

The Land Rover Discovery was fifth on the overall theft list with 1,920 being taken from their rightful owners last year. 

Tracker, which provides tracking software for vehicles to locate them after they’ve been stolen, has found in recent years that the Range Rover and Range Rover Sport are the models it – with the help of police – have most frequently recovered after they’ve been pinched.

In fact, earlier this year it said the majority of stolen cars it retrieved in the first half of 2023 were Range Rover and Land Rover models, with the Range Rover Sport top of the table.

While Tracker’s data is somewhat skewed by the fact that its devices are often only installed in high-value vehicles, it does shine a light on criminals’ attraction to Land Rover products, as well as their vulnerability.

With thefts at an all-time high, insurance companies have been hiking premiums on JLR vehicles known to be targeted by organised car thieves.  

And the scale of thefts became such an issue that some insurers reportedly have refused to cover Range Rovers in London. 

What is included in the security upgrade? 

Older models dating back to 2018 can be retrofitted with an update to the car’s existing Body Control Module (BCM), which prevents thieves driving away a vehicle without a key. 

Criminals have previously been able to hack this keyless start system, despite never needing to touch the car’s key.

Using the latest theft tech, they have been able to start the engine and drive the vehicle away without raising an alarm.

However, JLR says the update to the BCM contains new embedded technology to prevent this type of infiltration from being successful.

And the latest development of its Ultra-Wide Band (UWB) protection should further counter these relay attacks, where criminals intercept signals between the vehicle and key to unlock the car. 

‘Vehicles are not vulnerable to that method when equipped with this technology, which also mitigates the requirement to store keys in a faraday pouch,’ the vehicle manufacturer states.

It added: ‘JLR always recommend clients use every available measure to protect their vehicle, including the Jaguar and Land Rover ‘Remote’ apps. 

‘These are connected service which JLR has made available so clients can access a suite of security features, such as vehicle lock reminders and ‘Guardian Mode’, which monitors the vehicle and provides an alert if there is any unauthorised interaction.’

In its efforts to boost vehicle security, JLR has worked closely with British automotive risk and intelligence company Thatcham Research to develop its latest systems.

Richard Billyeald, its chief technical officer, told This is Money: ‘JLR was the first manufacturer to implement ultra-wideband transmission technology and by doing so, successfully protect its vehicles’ keyless entry systems from the relay attack. 

‘UWB is a technology that can very accurately determine the distance between the key and the car, thus foiling thieves in their efforts to relay the unlocking signal over greater distances.

‘Current theft data indicates that newer models, not only those manufactured by JLR, are generally more resilient to digital theft techniques. While this is positive news for new vehicle security, it’s important that wherever possible security gaps are closed on those older models which remain vulnerable to criminal exploitation.

‘We look forward to continuing to work closely with vehicle manufacturers from across the industry to anticipate and shut down security vulnerabilities. This is a game of cat and mouse that vigilant vehicle manufacturers can win, with the right support.’