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Electronic keys security risk
The ‘keyless car’ might be the ultimate in convenience, but could it also be making your car vulnerable to theft? American police are reporting an increase in thefts from cars by criminals using devices to record the electronic ‘signatures’ of keys, then coming back when the car is unattended to break in.
In October last year a $165,000 Jaguar was stolen from an Auckland car yard by a thief who seemed to use a device to over-ride the car’s electronic locking system, entering the locked car without a key and driving away with it in broad daylight.
American ‘security researcher’ and former hacker Sammy Kamkar recently put together a device to record the radio frequency signals of wireless key fobs for around US$30. He then demonstrated to a news programme how easily he could then ‘break into’ a range of different cars.
Keyless car technology works by encoding a small computer chip with a unique code syncing it to a specific vehicle using radio frequency signals. It only needs to be near the car to unlock it, and inside the vehicle to start the engine.
Researchers at Queensland’s University of Technology have found that increasingly sophisticated car security systems had ironically identified potential security risks. Professor Andry Rakotonirainy said the level of security protection in many car computers was similar to that of a desktop computer system from the 1980s.
‘Often when someone is developing software that offers a new kind of technology, the security part is often an afterthought. So while there's been lots of progress in safety, comfort and mobility with cars, the security aspect has been left aside, and it’s time to address that.’
David Booth of Canadian car website driving.ca recommends the following tips to protect your car and its contents:
- Don’t use the electronic key to lock the car — use the central locking button in the car before you get out.
- Keep your key in the fridge or in a metal box at home, so it can’t be remotely scanned by roving criminals.
- Use an old-school steering wheel lock to immobilise your car. Thieves will see it and move on.
- Don’t leave valuables in your car, alternatively lock them in the boot so they are not visible.
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The road ahead with Bernard Hickey
Financial commentator Bernard Hickey takes a look at what’s been happening in the local and wider economy, and what might happen next.
Bouncing back: Petrol and diesel prices in New Zealand rose around 7 per cent through March and April, as global oil prices bounced on weaker supply growth and as the NZD wobbled at around USD.68. The 75 per cent slump in oil prices through late 2014 and 2015 has finally slowed production by US ‘frackers’, but supply from the Middle East and Russia is still suppressing that bounce-back because Saudi Arabia and Iran can’t agree to turn off their taps.
Lower for longer: The Reserve Bank surprised most by cutting the Official Cash Rate on March 10 and forecasting at least one more cut, to 2.0 per cent, which drove mortgage rates and business lending rates down around 15-20 basis points through April and May. Most expect another cut on June 9, particularly now the Reserve Bank is talking about introducing a third round of mortgage-lending controls to try to douse the housing market fire that has rekindled again in Auckland and is spreading through the rest of the country.
Surprisingly low: The New Zealand dollar’s sharp fall against most currencies through 2015 was expected to spill over into a rise in new car prices in 2016, but the continued capacity surpluses in Europe and Japan have kept a lid on prices. Statistics NZ figures show new car prices were still down 1.5 per cent in the March quarter from a year ago and kept falling from the December quarter. The macro-economic forces driving the currencies continue to bode well for prices here, at least for new European cars. The euro’s continued weakness as the European Central Bank cuts interest rates further below 0 per cent to stimulate the economy is helping the competitiveness of European brands and limiting the extent of any price increases from Japanese manufacturers linked to the yen’s relative strength against the New Zealand dollar over the last year.
Better new-car smell: The relative attractiveness of new versus used cars has also strengthened further this year, as tougher emissions and safety rules for Japanese used imports and the weakness of the New Zealand dollar versus the yen has driven sales prices higher here. Statistics New Zealand reported used car prices rose 3.5 per cent in the March quarter, while new car prices actually fell 0.5 per cent during the March quarter. The surprising strength of the yen despite a failed attempt by the Bank of Japan to try negative interest rates has been a factor. The New Zealand dollar has fallen nearly 10 per cent against the yen this year and shows few signs of a turnaround as Japanese investors repatriate funds. The Kiwi dollar has been flat against the euro and could strengthen further if ‘Brexit’ strife further weakens the European economy.
Confident businesses: Business confidence picked up in April and indicates New Zealand’s economic growth rate is running at around 3 per cent, according to the ANZ’s monthly survey. Strong construction activity in Auckland and Christchurch, record high net migration and tourist arrivals and the wealth-boosting effects of double-digit house-price inflation nationwide are lifting the confidence of business owners across the spectrum. Only the dairy-producing areas of Taranaki, the Waikato and Southland lack the positive momentum.
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EVs get government backing
The government has given its strongest signal yet of its support of electric vehicles (EVs), with Transport Minister Simon Bridges unveiling its Electric Vehicles Programme (EVP) in early May. The programme aims to increase the uptake of EVs in New Zealand, as well as help to develop the EV market in New Zealand and the necessary supporting infrastructure.
‘It’s clear that electric vehicles are the future. A move from petrol and diesel to low emission transport is a natural evolution, and it is our aim to encourage that switch sooner, rather than later,’ Bridges said. ‘The benefits of increasing uptake of electric vehicles are far-reaching. They’re cheaper to run than petrol or diesel vehicles, they’re powered by our abundant renewable electricity supply, and they’ll reduce the amount of emissions that come from the country’s vehicle fleet.’
The programme has a target of doubling the number of electric vehicles in New Zealand every year to reach approximately 64,000 by 2021, with $1 million set aside annually for a nationwide electric vehicle information and promotion campaign over the next five years. There will also be a contestable fund of up to $6 million per year to encourage and support low-emission vehicle projects, and government agencies will look at buying EVs in bulk.
Another key plank is the proposal that EVs should be able to use bus lanes and high-occupancy vehicle lanes. Significantly for businesses, tax depreciation rates and the method for calculating fringe benefit tax for electric vehicles will be reviewed, to ensure electric vehicles are not being unfairly disadvantaged
Bridges says the package is an important part of the Government’s work to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the transport sector.
‘Electric vehicles will maximise New Zealand’s renewable advantage, with more than 80 per cent of the country’s electricity coming from hydro, geothermal and wind. The increased use of electric vehicles will replace petrol and diesel with clean, green, locally produced energy.’
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Hoverbike becomes a reality
Marty McFly had his hover board in Back to the Future . . . but now the Hoverbike, billed as the world’s first flying motorcycle, looks set to become a reality. A combination of a helicopter-style drone and quad bike, the Hoverbike was designed by Kiwi Chris Malloy and is now being developed in Britain.
Malloy Aeronatics says the Hoverbike combines the simplicity of a motorbike with the freedom of a helicopter. ‘When compared with a helicopter, the Hoverbike is cheaper, more rugged and easier to use — and represents a whole new way to fly. The Hoverbike flies like a quadcopter, and can be flown unmanned or manned, while being a safe, low level aerial workhorse with low on-going maintenance.’
The company is currently running a Kickstarter campaign to raise US$1.1 million to develop the Hoverbike further, and has promised to give one functioning prototype Hoverbike to the person who supplies the reason why they are donating, when the target is reached.
British inventor Colin Furze has also created his own home-made hover bike, which can lift several inches above the ground. Furze has also invented several other dubious technological wonders, such as the ejector bed, which flings the user out of the covers when the alarm goes off, and the world’s fastest pram, which goes nearly 50 kph.
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The fast, the furious . . . and the Cubans
The lifting of restrictions and the warming of the relationship between the US and Cuba has meant the next film in The Fast and the Furious franchise will be filmed there. The next movie in the series, which will continue following the death of one of its lead actors, Paul Walker, started filming on location in Cuba at the end of April, and is scheduled for release in April 2017.
The film, which will also feature scenes in Iceland and the United States, will be the eighth in the franchise, with Fast 9 due for release in 2019 and Fast 10 in 2021 — the twentieth anniversary of the release of the original The Fast and the Furious.
While the plot remains under wraps, the film will once again star Vin Diesel as Dominic Toretto, and you can be sure it will involve numerous spectacular car-racing sequences. The movie is also likely to showcase the classic American cars for which the island is famous, locked in a 1950s time-warp due to trade embargoes restricting the importation of new cars or parts to repair them.
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Great deals on Corollas
If you’re considering adding one of New Zealand’s most popular cars to your fleet, LeasePlan is offering a great deal on certified used 2014 Toyota Corollas. If you’ve been tossing up whether to add a short or long term addition to your fleet, your staff could be driving a LeasePlan Certified Toyota Corolla at an affordable price and with no deposit.
- GX hatch, 5 door, automatic, 1.8 litre petrol, reversing sensors
- Approx 50,000kms with various colours available
- Vehicle has undergone a pre-delivery inspection
- Supplied with new WOF & 12 month registration
LeasePlan Certified used cars offer the assurance of a very high standard, so you’ll be leasing one of the most popular cars in New Zealand in excellent condition.
Contact your account manager or give the team a call on 0800 LEASEPLAN (0800 532 737) today, this offer won't last long.
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