South Africa has one of the highest rates of vehicle theft in the world and this has led Midrand-based electronics developer Analysis, Management & Systems (AMS) to offer a hi-tech solution that brings hope to embattled owners and drivers.
Part of the JSE-listed Spescom Group, AMS is an ISO 9001-certified, high-technology company with advanced skills in the design, development, production and support of state-of-the-art systems. CARSafe is a unique and inexpensive vehicle security system that permanently links drivers to their vehicles.
"In the event of forced entry into your vehicle, an audible signal will be transmitted to a small receiver carried by you," explains AMS Security Business Unit manager Brian Scriven. "The signal is effective within a radius of 300 metres from your car -- a sufficient range to operate throughout most major shopping centres."
The receiver typically clips on to a belt. Any tampering, such as a break in or opening of a door or the boot, will cause the system to page you. The vehicle transmitter is even smaller -- about half the size of the receiver.
"It has a few thin wires that can be connected to an existing alarm in your car, or even to some other power source such as the door-light," he says. "The minute it`s activated, this transmits to a receiver, on which an indicator light flashes every two seconds while you are in range of your vehicle."
Official sources estimate that, on average, a vehicle is stolen within 30 seconds of being parked. "Thieves see you walking away and know they`ll have at least three minutes -- which is all they need to steal a car," says Scriven.
Insurance companies are reportedly excited about CARSafe because it allows drivers to report cars as stolen within a minute. "The recovery rate is 97,8% because the car is still in the vicinity," he says. "Should you go shopping without CARSafe and come back two hours later, your car has most probably been gone for most of this time. It could be half way to the border or in a chop shop and it`s history."
CARSafe, which is not dependent on the vehicle having an existing alarm, is a simple, straightforward and affordable system.
Scriven sees a big market for the device among truck operators. "When a trucker is away from away from his vehicle, there is currently nothing available that will inform him if it is being tampered with."
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