Researchers claim a new way to stop car thieves in their tracks

Keyless car hacking and high-tech ways to steal modern cars continue to proliferate, but the University of Michigan just proposed a somewhat low-tech method of halting these kinds of thefts.

Researchers are calling it the “Battery Sleuth” for the time being, and while it’s at least three years out from being a product one could buy, it’s an intriguing proposition nonetheless. The device is connected between the vehicle’s battery and the electrical system, and it works by monitoring voltage fluctuations. The driver can interact with the device via a numerical keypad or fingerprint sensor, and if they enter in the correct code, the Battery Sleuth will send out a “voltage fingerprint” over the electrical system that enables the vehicle to start. Until the correct code or fingerprint is detected, the Battery Sleuth limits the amount of power that can be drawn from the battery. There will be enough power to operate things like the lights, windshield wipers and turn signals, but not enough to power the vehicle’s starter, which should thwart a thief from simply getting in and driving off.

Being able to use those auxiliary systems is important, too, because researchers say that operating those systems in a certain order could also be used as an authenticator to deliver the correct voltage fluctuation fingerprint. A combination of flicking the wipers, activating a turn signal or two, flashing the lights on and off and locking/unlocking the doors could theoretically be your voltage fluctuation “code” to make the car turn on.