Date: Thu, 29 Oct 2009 12:16:06 -0400
Reply-To: David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: David Beierl <dbeierl@ATTGLOBAL.NET>
Subject: Re: Nice thing about vanagon keys
In-Reply-To: <5ebe10a0910281844u258031cex9ecf23fa1b28fd63@mail.gmail.com >
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At 09:44 PM 10/28/2009, Chris S wrote:
>I agree that newer isn't always better. A new key for my New Beetle
>needed dealer interven$ion to the tune of nearly $200 for key,
>cutting, and programming
I wonder if that wasn't Dealer Special Pricing? I had an Accord with
an Immobilizer system and IIRC it was only about $60 for two keys
made at the same time.
> with top secret magical codes which are store
>on a "computer in Wolfsburg".
Oh dear...it is to laugh. :-) The codes are built into (one each)
little RFID tags in the heads of the key blanks, each one unique in
all the universe of keys and key blanks. "Programming" means
registering every one of those tags with the computer on the vehicle;
from that point forward the vehicle won't start unless it detects one
of those particular keys in or near the ignition switch.
The vehicle software is set up so that you can't edit the set of
registered keys -- you can only start again, with every key
physically present that will ever be used to start this vehicle henceforward.
>Said magical codes can not be acessesed
>on a weekend,
Translation: nobody knows how to operate the programming sequence, or
can find the magic box that may be needed to stimulate the vehicle
computer to accept a new set of keys.
> which means a whole lot of headache for a friggin key.
It does that. I think the biggest nuisance is having to have all
keys physically present, but that is also one of the great strengths
of the security -- if you lose a key for whatever reason, you take
all the remaining ones (and the replacement key) and register them
with the vehicle. From then forward the missing key will no longer
start the vehicle.
>Oh, but it's theft-proof.
'Course it isn't. However it makes drive-away vehicle theft
enormously more difficult than before; almost impossible really,
because you have to have the password *and* the magic ring (i.e. a
key registered to that vehicle), or she's not gonna start -- without
some mechanic work to bypass the Immobilizer system. Popping the
ignition lock will no longer get you a running vehicle.
On balance I think the benefits far outweigh the drawbacks -- unless
the system believes in a master key-ID of some sort. If it does,
then copies of that key-ID will be available, rendering the whole
Immobilizer system open to the higher class of thief. Seems very
unlikely, though.
Yrs,
D
