SecuriLock, also known as Passive Anti-Theft System (PATS), is Ford Motor Company's immobilizer technology.

In 1996 it started showing up on select models of Ford, Lincoln, and Mercury vehicles. The keys for these vehicles have a minute radio frequency transponder embedded in the plastic Head. When the vehicle is started, the on-board computer sends out a RF signal that is picked up by the transponder in the key. The transponder then returns a unique RF signal to the vehicle's computer, giving it confirmation to start and continue to run. This all happens in less than one second, with the intention of being completely transparent to the vehicle's operator. Replacement of keys to vehicles equipped with engine immobilizers is different than that for a vehicle with conventional keys. Since the key is assembled with electronic components, one cannot be purchased and made at a retail store. The vehicle must be taken to a dealership so programming can be done. For the 1999 model year, all Ford Motor Company vehicles equipped with the Passive AntiTheft System used the PATS II system. The PATS II system was introduced on roughly half of the PATS equipped vehicles for the 1998 model year. The other half of the PATS equipped vehicles for the 1998 model year were equipped with the PATS I system. Many 2000 and later Ford vehicles use the E-PATS system, which uses an encrypted transponder in the key. With PATS I, programming of a new key could be done with just one working key. Information on how this was completed was provided in the vehicle's owner's manual. With PATS II, two working keys were required for reprogramming. This helped ensure that only the owner of the vehicle could make duplicate keys. PATS I equipped vehicles include the following

An anti-hijack system is an electronic system fitted to motor vehicles to deter criminals from hijacking them. Although these types of systems are becoming more common on newer cars, they have not caused a decrease in insurance premiums as they are not as widely known about as other more common anti-theft systems such as alarms or steering locks. It can also be a part of an alarm or immobiliser system. An approved anti-hijacking system will achieve a safe, quick shutdown of the vehicle it is attached to.

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1 Technology o 1.1 Lockout

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1.2 Transponder 1.3 Microswitch 2 See also 3 References

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[edit] Technology
There are three basic principles on which the systems work.

[edit] Lockout
A lockout system is armed when the driver turns the ignition key to the on position and carries out a specified action, usually flicking a hidden switch or depressing the brake pedal twice. It is activated when the vehicle drops below a certain speed or becomes stationary, and will cause all of the vehicles doors to automatically lock, to prevent against thieves stealing the vehicle when it is stopped, for example at a traffic light or pedestrian crossing.

[edit] Transponder
A transponder system is a system which is always armed until a device, usually a small RFID transponder, enters the vehicle's transmitter radius. Since the device is carried by the driver, usually in their wallet or pocket, if the driver leaves the immediate vicinity of the vehicle, so will the transponder, causing the system to assume the vehicle has been hijacked and disable it. As the transponder itself is concealed, the thief would not be aware that such a system is active on a vehicle until they had ejected the driver and moved the vehicle out of range of the driver (usually only a couple of meters). This is probably the most common anti-hijack system and a central locking system which uses the same concept was demonstrated by Jeremy Clarkson on an old episode of the BBC Top Gear program where he teased a butler by asking him to put his bags in a Mercedes-Benz S600 but didn't give the RFID transponder. The butler was confused when the S600 doors wouldn't open when he tried, but when Jeremy approached with the transponder in his pocket, the system acknowledged this and unlocked the car, allowing Jeremy to simply pull the door handle to gain entry to the vehicle.

[edit] Microswitch
A microswitch system is always armed and is usually activated if one of the vehicle doors is opened and closed again while the vehicle's engine is running. Once the system has been activated, the driver will have a set time limit to disarm it by entering a code before the vehicle takes measures.

If the system is not disarmed in the time window, it will warn the driver by sounding the vehicle's horn once every 10 seconds for 30 seconds, at which point the system will start sounding the horn at much shorter intervals and will usually activate the vehicle's hazard lights. At this point the immobiliser circuit will also start rapidly pulsing for 40 seconds, completely disabling the engine and eventually bringing the vehicle to a stop. If the thief switches the ignition to the off position and back to the on position again, the horn will restart and operate constantly and the hazard lights will flash for 60 seconds. The immobiliser circuit will close for 15 seconds and will rapidly pulse for 15 seconds before reopening the circuit, allowing the vehicle to be driven to a safe location before once again being immobilised. The hazard lights will continue to flash, and on every subsequent attempt to start the vehicle will cause the horn to operate for 30 seconds, but the immobilizer circuit will not open, so the vehicle will not start and the hazard lights will keep flashing until the vehicle's battery is drained or the system is disarmed.

An immobiliser or immobilizer is an electronic device fitted to an automobile which prevents the engine from running unless the correct key (or other token) is present. This prevents the car from being "hot wired" after entry has been achieved. Immobilisers have been mandatory in all new cars sold in Germany since 1 January 1998, in the United Kingdom since 1 October 1998, in Finland since 1998, in Australia since 2001 and in Canada since 2007. Early models used a static code in the ignition key (or key fob) which was recognised by an RFID loop around the lock barrel and checked against the vehicle's Engine Control Unit (ECU) for a match. If the code is unrecognised, the ECU will not allow fuel to flow and ignition to take place. Later models use rolling codes or advanced cryptography to defeat copying of the code from the key or ECU. The microcircuit inside the key is activated by a small electromagnetic field which induces current to flow inside the key body, which in turn broadcasts a unique binary code which is read by the automobile's ECU. When the ECU determines that the coded key is both current and valid, the ECU activates the fuel-injection sequence. In some vehicles, attempts to use an unauthorized or "non-sequenced" key cause the vehicle to activate a timed no-start condition and in some highly advanced systems, even use satellite or mobile phone communication to alert a security firm that an unauthorized attempt was made to code a key. Coincidentally, this information is often recorded in modern automobile ECUs, which may record many other variables including speed, temperature, driver weight, geographic location, throttle position and yaw angle. This information can be used during insurance investigations, warranty claims or technical troubleshooting.

Add-on immobilisers are available for older cars or vehicles without factory immobilisers. The insurance approval for a self-arming immobiliser is known as "Thatcham 2" after the Motor Insurance Repair Research Centre in Thatcham, England. Approved immobilisers must intercept at least two circuits; typically the low-voltage ignition circuit and the fuel pump circuit. Some may also intercept the low-current starter motor circuit from the key switch to the relay. Statistics in Australia [1] show that 3 out of 4 vehicle thefts are older cars stolen for joyriding, transport or to commit another crime. Immobilisers are fitted to around 45% of all cars in Australia, but account for only 7% of those cars that are stolen. In many instances where a vehicle fitted with an immobiliser has been stolen, the thief had access to the original key. Only around 1 in 4 stolen vehicles are stolen by professional thieves. The majority of vehicles are stolen by opportunistic thieves relying on finding older vehicles that have ineffective security or none at all.