My Introductory post (Car immobilizers: Your Dependable Car Security)

Hello Steemians,

I am super Excited and really grateful to @adetola for introducing me to this Awesome community. I have been blown away by what I have seen so far on steemit and I’m honestly wondering how I haven’t discovered this platform before now. Anyway Like they say “it’s Better Late than Never”

I want to take this time to introduce myself….my name is OGHENEDERHIE DANIEL, a graduate of Electrical and Electronics Engineering from the Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta. Presently I work with a Top radio station as an on Air personality. I'm a die-hard Technology geek, I also love reading personal development books, watching Action movies, swimming and quite a number of things.

Over time I’m sure we would get to know one another better and I’m really looking forward to learning a lot on this platform…. I'm really super excited and I can’t wait to get started. I’m genuinely crazy about cars so my very first post would be about immobilizer in cars

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IS YOUR CAR SECURE?

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As a Young boy, I Loved traveling a lot Especially on holidays to spend Quality time with relatives mainly because I would be pampered and I’d have loads of fun experiences. I Remember vividly one of such experiences on one of this holidays I traveled to see my Aunt in Lagos.

I know you all like gists, so this is what happened: my aunt, my cousins and I went for a Picnic in a super cool location, we literally had a blast all through the picnic until it was time for us to go home. We were all tired and exhausted but on getting to the car park where she parked her car, Her Car was literally missing, it was a devasting experience because there were no cell phones back then and we were stranded for hours…Let me stop the gist here, anyway, we managed to get home that day and until this moment the car is still missing.

This has been the case of a whole lot of people especially in developing countries where it is extremely difficult to track cars. So that experience got me thinking, what if she had a mechanism in her car that could have stopped the theft?
Car theft has been on the Rise constantly Nigeria and in the world at large and Technology has played a major role to help curb this menace by enabling car manufacturers to imbibe the Cars they manufacture with an Anti-theft system that thrives on sheer Mechanization. One of such creative innovation is an automated anti-theft system called an immobilizer which protects cars from thieves.

Immobilizers are Very Important and are mandatory in most civilized countries primarily to prevent thieves from hot-wiring the car which is the most common way thieves steal cars.
I’m sure we All know Hot wiring involves breaking the steering column and connecting the ignition wires of the car. But with immobilizers installed in the car, the car wouldn’t start even if the wires are connected because the system deactivates the ignition

So it doesn’t come as a surprise that Most modern cars have Immobilizers installed in them and it can be installed in older cars. Immobilizers have reduced the overall rate of car theft and one important Feature of the immobilizer is that its AUTOMATIC and the car's computer control detects any wrong code or absence of a key and it doesn’t Require the owner of the car to activate it.

^{car theft image from Pixabay under CCO liscence}

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Firstly, what is an IMMOBILIZER?

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The immobilizer is an ANTI-THEFT security device which modern day cars use. It is fitted into an automobile and STOPS the engine from running unless the Correct key (or other tokens) is present. it works automatically and prevents anyone from hot-wiring the car and stealing the car, making it an effective anti-theft device.

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Here is how an immobilizer work?

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First, let me explain the principle of a car immobilizers
It’s an electronic device that separates the (I) fuel system (ii) ignition system (iii)engine
Modern cars use Engine Management System to control these systems, so this is where the immobilizers interfaces with this component. The immobilizer prevents your car from starting without first receiving the correct signal from the driver

An immobilizer consists primarily of two main Components:

• The Transponder in the ignition Key
• Radio frequency reader located in the steering column

When the Ignition key is used in the car’s system, a unique identification code is sent by the transponder to the Frequency reader: if the unique identification code is correct the car's computer control allows the ignition system or fuel system to start the car

However, if an INCORRECT unique identification code is sent or if the code is absent: the computer control disables the ignition or fuel system of the car and prevents the car from starting unless the right key is used.
Approved Immobilizers are the most effective systems Against vehicles theft
I'm sure you would have heard or experienced situations where with factory installed and aftermarket Immobilizers were stolen. That’s because some Immobilizers don’t meet the approved requirements some only disable two systems in a vehicle or may not use a transponder based security system.

Immobilizers are very effective when they disable three systems in the car system and use transponder technology and can withstand prolonged attacks. An approved immobilizer cuts power to the starter, the ignition and in most cases, the fuel supply. The immobilizer can only be deactivated by a special transponder, which sends a signal to the immobilizer unit and allows the vehicle to start.
I would continue on cars.

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References

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For further reading please follow the links
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