A Car Breathalyzer Device

Jul 22 2015

When the law says you have to be sober before driving, a Breath Alcohol Ignition Interlock Device is installed.

You don’t technically blow, it’s more humming into the machine, and for longer than you may think. And it knows if it’s not you humming, and someone is trying to start the car for you.

It’s wired to the ignition.

Okay all clear, put it in drive and go. Then it will go off at random times, and the driver will have to blow clear again before they can continue.

It logs a record of when the car was started, and the driver must regularly meet with an officer to ensure things match up.

Kind’ve like – we’ll trust you but, you’ll still have to prove and account for things.

Related Column: About drunk driving checkpoints – here

I Didn’t Write This

Jul 19 2015

It’s from today’s Toronto Sun. Probably the page builder wasn’t having the best day is all.

Blogging this because technically there’s now plagiarism attached to my name, so this is a record it was accidental.

David Miller wrote it, you’ve met before, he has good jokes. Read it on Autonet here.

The New Way to Steal a Car

Jul 15 2015

A signal booster is the new shim.

The method exploits keyless entry, a once-luxury feature now found in entry-level cars.

I speak with Ted Harrington, co-founder of Independent Security Evaluators, a company that pioneered car hacking.

Very basically:

The Attack

Amplify the proximity radius, and now the key and car are talking when they shouldn’t be. Thief goes in, off he drives.

The Defence

Keep your key fob in a Faraday Cage (no signals can get in or go out)… do this by wrapping the fob in aluminum foil.

Read it online at Autonet.

Favourite line:

Pretty geeky, and probably beyond the average criminal, right? The trouble is that the online black market is massive and lucrative.

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Back to ‘Keri on Driving’ – Index

Blog tag = auto security

Biggest ‘Trip Reset’ Button I’ve ever Seen

Jul 15 2015

In what scenario is this necessary?

Like, “hit the trip reset COME ON now now now, we need to zero it noooooow” – nope.

Only one I can think of is during a rally, but that’s a stretch.

Spotted on a Nissan Pathfinder.

Learned How to J-turn

Jul 6 2015

To J-turn – drive in reverse, yank the wheel to initiate a turn, the vehicle spins 180 degrees then continues driving in the same direction, but facing forward.

Listen for the clapping at the end *bows* ;)

To be clear, this is like a baby J-turn… note how the instructor is operating the gear shift for me.

Do it alone without coaching, now it’s impressive.

At the completion of the turn the car was so discombobulated it went into limp mode, how anti-climactic.

Learned during a BFGoodrich tire test event at Mosport, and that’s a 2015 Ford Mustang.

Read my review of BFGoodrich’s all-new g-Force COMP-2 A/S tires here.

Above is what the video looks like.

Thanks for sharing:

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A signal booster is the new shim.

The Attack

The Defence

Favourite line:

Thanks for sharing:

Thanks for sharing:

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