Biometric immobiliser

By Simon McBride

21st August 2007

If you’re a fan of the hi-tech gadgets in the James Bond movies, then this fingerprint device will be right up your street. It’s the latest way to prevent your car from being stolen.

Auto­motive Tech­nology Research and Development (ATRD), based in Coventry, has introduced the new Biometric Immobiliser in an attempt to stem the increasing number of cases of thieves taking car keys from homes. With this device, you don’t only need the keys to start up the engine; the immobiliser also asks to read the owner’s finger­print before activating the ignition.

According to ATRD, the clever new set-up can be fitted to any car. The only addition to the cabin is a small dashboard-mounted touchpad – this scans your fingerprint, and compares it with the biometic record stored in the immobiliser’s memory. Unless the two match it won’t fire the engine. The rest of the system is wired out of sight into the electrics.

ATRD’s technology can be programmed to register multi­ple fingerprints, which would suit a family car or a company vehicle with a number of users. Fitting takes half a day, and this is included in the £350 price. The maker says the kit gives owners the reassurance that their car is safe even if a thief steals their keys.