ADAC report: 30 percent of keyless car systems still vulnerable to theft

The German automobile club ADAC has completed a decade of testing the security of keyless entry systems, examining 850 vehicles from major manufacturers. The findings indicate that while automotive security has improved, significant vulnerabilities remain.

Currently, approximately 70 percent of the tested vehicles offer better protection against theft than they did ten years ago. However, about 30 percent of the tested models still require improvements to defend against signal relay attacks, where thieves use devices to extend the range of a key signal to illegally unlock and start a vehicle.

Technological advancements such as Ultra-Wideband (UWB) have helped mitigate these risks. Jaguar Land Rover was an early adopter of more secure systems in 2018, followed by the Volkswagen Group in 2019 with models including the Audi A3, Seat Leon, Škoda Octavia, and VW Golf 8.