Security: 'Back to the old school'

Thousands of luxury car owners resorting to steering locks

• A quarter of luxury car owners worry multiple times a week about their car being stolen
• Over three quarters (77 per cent) of luxury high-end cars have keyless locking and ignition, which is making owners extremely cautious about the risk of theft
• Two fifths (39 per cent) of luxury car owners have resorted to using steering locks, bollards, chains or lockable gates when parked on their own drive
• ‘Faraday cages’ are used by half of those with a luxury car to protect against relay theft

New research from Direct Line Motor insurance¹ reveals that despite the rise of advanced security technologies 1.2 million (36 per cent) luxury car owners are relying on ‘old school’ physical security measures to keep their high-end³ cars secure. Measures include steering locks (10 per cent) that retail from just £17² or installing bollards (13 per cent) that can retail from £50, to try and keep their vehicles worth tens of thousands of pounds safe from thieves. People are investing in additional security because they are so worried about car crime. A quarter (23 per cent) of luxury car owners in fact worry multiple times a week about their car being stolen.

Concerns over the vulnerability of modern car technologies is driving motorists to turn to ‘old school’ security measures. Two fifths (39 per cent) of owners that park their luxury cars on their drive at home feel they need additional security measures to further protect their car from being stolen.

Table one: Additional security measured used by luxury car owners when parking on their drive

Source: Direct Line Insurance 2024

Over three quarters (77 per cent) of those cars worth £40,000 or more say their vehicle has keyless entry and ignition. Owners are therefore worried that this places their car at risk of relay theft, when criminals use a car’s technology against itself by tricking the keyless entry system into thinking the key fob is within range.

A quarter (24 per cent) of owners of cars with keyless entry and ignition use a Faraday device³ when parked at home, to stop criminals attempting relay theft, no matter if it’s on the drive or parked on the street outside. A further 21 per cent ensure that their car keys are stored a long way from their car when it’s parked on their drive.

Keeping a car in a garage still does not stop the worry of it being stolen, with half (49 per cent) of those who park in garages taking the additional precaution of keeping their car key in a Faraday storage device.

Installing CCTV in a bid to protect a car is also very common: two thirds (66 per cent) of those with luxury cars have installed cameras to cover their car when it is parked at their home.

When parking away from home a quarter of those with high-end cars (26 per cent) secure them with a steering wheel lock, or other physical device.

Matt Pernet, Head of Motor Insurance at Direct Line comments: “Car theft is an everyday concern for luxury car owners in modern Britain. It is clear many drivers don’t wish to rely just on their keyless locking and ignition systems as secure technologies, so are resorting to additional security measures, from Faraday cages and steering wheel locks to further protect their vehicle. Additional security measures not only help to further protect your vehicle when away from it, but can also help to be a deterrent too.”

ENDS

Notes to editors

1.      The research was conducted by Opinium on behalf of Direct Line Insurance with a nationally representative sample of 2,000 UK adults (of whom 1,449 owned a call) between 16^th – 20^th August 2024. Luxury cars defined as those valued at £40,000 and over – which qualify for the ‘Expensive Car Supplement (also known as Luxury Car Tax) on the Vehicle Excise Duty for the first five years.

2.      Steering locks can be purchased on Amazon from around £17 upwards, with many around the £30 mark.  Bollards are available from £22 upwards, with some costing £160.

3.      High-end cars are those worth over £40,000 – approximately eight per cent of cars on the road

4.      Faraday cages are enclosures used to block some electromagnetic fields, such as those used by keyless entry systems: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faraday_cage

For further information please contact:

Direct Line Group:

Chelsey Wheeler

Deputy Head of News and Issues

Email: Chelsey.wheeler@directlinegroup.co.uk

PR team:

Fleishman Hillard

Email: directlinegroupmedia@fleishman.com

Phone: 07808 727280

Direct Line

Started in 1985, Direct Line became the first UK insurance company to use the telephone as its main channel of communication. It provides motor, home, travel and pet insurance cover direct to customers by phone or on-line.

Direct Line general insurance policies are underwritten by U K Insurance Limited, Registered office: The Wharf, Neville Street, Leeds LS1 4AZ. Registered in England and Wales No 1179980. U K Insurance Limited is authorised by the Prudential Regulation Authority and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority and the Prudential Regulation Authority.

Direct Line and UK Insurance limited are both part of Direct Line Insurance Group plc.