A method for checking a motor vehicle comprises steps for transmitting an ID stored in an electronic control device of a transmission of the motor vehicle, to a central facility, the comparison on the part of the central facility of the ID with stored IDs assigned to specific motor vehicles, the transmission of a notification regarding the comparison result from the central facility to the control device, and the issuing on the part of the control device of a signal, if the ID has been located in the stored IDs. The communication comprises an authentication of the central facility thereby.

A vehicle-mounted device includes vehicle information detecting unit for detecting an on/off state of vehicle power, relay input/output unit for controlling an external relay configured to make a switch between a starting-disabled state and a starting-enabled state of a vehicle, and vehicle information-associated control unit for controlling the external relay based on a relay control command. The vehicle information-associated control unit controls the external relay based on an elapsed time since a change in the on/off state of vehicle power detected by the vehicle information detecting unit.

The invention relates to a method for operating an internal combustion engine (14) of a motor vehicle (10), in that the internal combustion engine (14) is started using a remote start unit (18) for wireless reception of a remote start signal (R) and afterwards is monitored by a shutdown unit (36) to determine whether a shutdown condition is fulfilled. When appropriate, the internal combustion engine (14) is shutdown again. A radio key device (26) of the motor vehicle (10) is designed to detect a radio key presence in a passenger compartment (28) of the motor vehicle (10) using a key scan and to signal a radio key presence by means of a key presence signal (A). The problem addressed by the invention is to adapt the subsequent shutdown of the internal combustion engine (14) more flexibly to the position of the driver following a remote start. The shutdown condition comprises for this purpose that the key presence signal (A) must have been inactive for a predefined minimum time period. A presence of a person in the passenger compartment (28) is detected by a monitoring device (32) by means of a sensor unit (24, 38, 40 42) and, upon detecting the presence of a person, at least one key scan is triggered at at least one predefined time by means of a control signal (P).

Remote tamper detection, some example embodiment methods including: receiving signals indicative of a location, the receiving by a first device coupled to an asset; periodically sending a signal of operability from the first device to a second device, the second device coupled to the asset, and the second device configured to selectively disable the asset; receiving a first command from a remote operations center, the receiving by the first device; sending a second command from the first device to the second device, wherein the second command is sent responsive to the receiving of the first command; disabling the asset by the second device when receipt of the signal of operability has ceased or the second command is a disable command; and issuing from the first device an indication of the location of the first device, the issuing from the first device by a wireless transmission to the remote operations center.

A direct action restraining tag apparatus is disclosed for interfering with normal operation of a motor vehicle. An example restraining tag includes a housing having an internal compartment. The example restraining tag also includes a pulse mechanism disposed within the internal compartment. The pulse mechanism includes a transmitter configured to generate one or both of a radio frequency pulse and an electromagnetic pulse having a magnitude sufficient to interfere with normal operation of an electronic control module of a motor vehicle.

There is provided a method to stop or slow down a vehicle in an emergency, the method involving a vehicle comprising an emergency stop system which is able to cause the vehicle to stop or slow down, said emergency stop system comprising at least one microphone for detecting sounds in the vicinity of the vehicle, and a sound analysis unit for analysing sound, the method involving the steps: a) the microphone of the emergency stop system receiving a sound and sending a signal representing the sound to the sound analysis unit, b) the sound analysis unit of the emergency stop system determining that the received sound is a predetermined sound or a predetermined sound pattern, and c) the emergency stop system causing the vehicle to stop or slow down.

An affixable device can include a locking mechanism, a force-limiting mechanism, and a sensing mechanism. The locking mechanism can include an engagement component configured to disable the locking mechanism. The force-limiting mechanism can be configured to limit a locking force of the locking mechanism. The sensing mechanism can be coupled to the engagement component, and can be configured to determine that the force-limiting mechanism has limited the locking force of the locking mechanism. In response to determining the force-limiting mechanism limiting the locking force, the sensing mechanism can cause the engagement component to disable the locking mechanism.

A sensing device can include an accelerometer, a transceiver, and a computing device in communication with the accelerometer and transceiver. The computing device can transmit a first set of signals at a first power level to a remote device. The computing device can determine, via the accelerometer, a movement of the sensing device. The computing device can increase a power level for transmission from the first power level to a second power level in response to the movement. The computing device can transmit future signals at the second power level to the remote device.

A vehicle theft-prevention system can include a plurality of sensors configured to sense measurements proximate to a vehicle and a body configured to secure to a window of the vehicle. The body can include a wireless transceiver and at least one computing device coupled to the plurality of sensors and the wireless transceiver. The at least one computing device can be configured to receive, via the wireless transceiver, an indication to enter an armed mode from an unarmed mode. The at least one computing device can be configured to, in response to the indication, transition to the armed mode, wherein transitioning to the armed mode comprises setting a configuration of at least one property of a subset of the plurality of sensors.

Disclosed herein is a vehicle theft prevention device. The device can include a data store including event configuration data. The device can include one or more sensors that can sense various types of measurements proximate to a vehicle. The device can include a computing device in communication with the sensors. The computing device can read measurements from the sensors and determine that a particular event has occurred. The computing device can analyze the measurements to determine the particular event occurred based on the event configuration data. When the particular event occurs, the computing device can perform one or more remedial actions.