Ghost immobiliser Bristol, relay protection and CAN bus security

Vehicle owners in Bristol face relay theft risk that requires a physical relay break independent of the CAN bus. LockCar provides hardwired relay immobiliser fitting across BS postcodes, Bristol, Bath, Weston-super-Mare, Clevedon, as a standalone solution or to complement an existing or new Autowatch Ghost installation.

Vehicle theft risk in Bristol

Bristol is the largest city in the South West and experiences vehicle theft rates significantly above the South West regional average. BS postcodes in north and east Bristol, particularly BS5, BS7, and BS16, feature in Avon and Somerset Police vehicle crime data as high-risk relay attack areas. The M4, M5, and M32 motorway network provides rapid exit routes for theft gangs. Premium vehicles in the affluent BS8 and BS9 Clifton and Westbury-on-Trym areas are specifically targeted.

Relay attack theft follows the same method across every UK region: criminals extend the key fob signal from inside the property to the vehicle on the driveway in under 60 seconds. The factory immobiliser is satisfied by the relayed signal exactly as it would be by a legitimate key. LockCar adds a physical relay break downstream of the entire CAN bus that remains open until a separate encrypted authentication is provided.

Ghost immobiliser versus LockCar in Bristol

The Autowatch Ghost uses the vehicle CAN bus to require a PIN sequence before engine start. It is an effective countermeasure against basic relay attacks. LockCar’s hardwired relay break operates outside the CAN bus entirely, providing protection against both relay attacks and CAN bus injection attacks that target the control channel.

For vehicles in higher-risk categories, fitting both a Ghost and a LockCar relay immobiliser provides the strongest available protection. Ghost stops relay attacks at the CAN bus level. LockCar stops any attack that manages to overcome or bypass the CAN bus layer. The two systems are complementary and can be installed at the same appointment.

LockCar installation does not interfere with an existing or new Ghost installation. Both systems operate independently. Full insurance documentation is provided with every LockCar installation.

LockCar coverage across Bristol

LockCar engineers cover all BS postcode districts across Bristol, Bath, Weston-super-Mare, Clevedon, and surrounding Avon and Somerset areas. Same-day appointments are available across the Bristol and Bath region.

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