A few years back my motorbike was stolen. I can still remember the date 8th November 2003. It was about 10 o’clock at night and it affected me profoundly. In fact I can place several serious live changes to that moment. This includes the first time I ever broke down and unashamedly, openly sobbed.
As a result, I’m really quite liking what I’ve read about an immobiliser that’s controlled via text message, designed by an 18 year old Kenyan called Morris Mbetsa. According to Tech Radar the system, called ‘Block and Track’, allows a user to control a vehicle using a mobile.
A combination of voice, touch-tone key presses and SMS apparently ensures the car can effectively be authorised only by the owner. It will be cracked but hopefully not for a while.
Tech Radar has said:
When the ignition is started when the car is supposed to be locked, the vehicle rings the owner and he or she must punch in a code to allow it to start.
The system also can patch in to the car’s conversations, so if your hot-rod has been hot-wired you can hear the thieves laughing and congratulating one another.
What’s most impressive is that Morris has no formal training in technology and simply loves taking gadgets apart.
