TECHNOLOGY IMMOBILISER SYSTEMS DELPHI’S THEFT DETERRENT IMMOBILISER SYSTEMS

Vehicle manufacturers are constantly trying to up the safety element in their products. Developing effective anti-theft components that can also connect to the satellite or the use of mobile phone technology to alert the owner as and when there is any unauthorised attempt to steal the vehicle, is increasingly gaining ground. In this article, Delphi dis- cusses the technology behind its Immobilisation System that comes with highly reliable theft deterrent systems.

AUTHORS INTRODUCTION also work as their product USP. In terms of security, manufacturers are trying to Automakers from across the globe are develop effective anti-theft components pouring in money into the Indian auto that can also connect to the satellite or industry as the buying aspirations of use mobile phone technology to alert the Indian consumers increase. There is owner as and when there is any unau- growing competition among vehicle thorised attempt to steal the vehicle. G NAMBI GANESH Director, Technical Center India manufacturers to equip their vehicle with An ECU () is a Bangalore, Delphi Electronics & Safety better product technology, which can feature that records the various vehicle

50 www.autotechreview.com variables including speed, temperature, to flow inside the key body. This in turn tion (RFID) technology because of its driver weight, geographic location, broadcasts a unique binary code that is unique features. Delphi RFID tran- position and yaw angle so that read by the immobiliser base station, sponders can provide a high level of the information can be used during which then authenticates this key. Once security at low cost. insurance investigations, warranty key authentication process is complete, The transponder is a battery less claims or technical troubleshooting. another level of authentication between device, which is available in various Due to very high instances of vehicle the immobiliser base station and the form factors and with different func- thefts, Indian government agencies are vehicle ECM is done using Delphi’s pro- tionalities. For operation, the tran- suggesting that vehicle manufacturers prietary crypt algorithm. When the ECM sponder has to be supplied with install theft deterrent technologies in determines that the coded key is both energy from an external source. The the vehicle. Even the government stand- current and valid, the ECM activates the transceiver generates a low frequency ard committee has started work on the fuel-injection sequence. magnetic field that is radiated by an following standards: antenna coil. The energy activates :: AIS 074: Anti-theft systems for the transponder, which sends a data two-wheelers. Focused on PRODUCT DESIGN & FEATURES stream in the form of a modulated RF mechanical methods for signal. This signal is demodulated by preventing theft, though The immobiliser module typically built the transceiver and then passed to it has no mention of around four building blocks, ➋: the controller for data processing. immobiliser or other :: The transponder unit is in the key. Different physical principles for such systems. When the transponder comes near RFID systems have been established :: AIS 075: the coil in the lock assembly and in the market. Concerning the trans- Anti-theft systems switch on the ignition, it transmits an mission of energy, two different sys- for passenger . encrypted code via low frequency. tems can be distinguished. This includes immo- :: The coil in the lock assembly around :: Full Duplex Systems – The biliser regulations. the ignition lock acts as a reception energy for the transponder and the :: AIS 076: unit and captures the analogue data signal generated by the tran- Alarm systems for encrypted code and transmits the sponder are transmitted at the same passenger cars. This same to the base station. The coil time, usually using load modulation. includes theft detection does not perform any decoding of the :: Half Duplex Systems – The trans- and alarm systems. These encrypted signal. mission of the energy for the tran- technologies will also be seen in :: The base station acts as a tran- sponder and the data signal from the two-wheelers. sponder reception module that pro- transponder are transmitted consecu- cesses the received analogue signal tively. The transponder stores energy and authenticates the key. The tran- in a capacitor and as soon as the DELPHI’S SOLUTION sponder to immobiliser controller transmitter is switched off, the communication is encrypted with a energy is used to transmit data. Delphi has been a frontrunner in terms 96-bit secret key. The base station The different techniques have an of innovation in security and alarm sys- also creates an encrypted 48-bit impact on system design and reading tem solutions, with more than three dec- secret key that is sent for authentica- range respectively reliable in the ades of experience. The company was tion to the EMS module via a stand- one of the first to introduce immobilisers ard communication link. in the market in the 1980s, and in 1994 :: The EMS controller has in-built the company developed the first crypt immobiliser encryption algo- transponder-based immobiliser solution. rithm that decodes the key The immobilisation system developed signal received over com- by Delphi comes with highly reliable theft munication link and deterrent technologies that use a tran- allows/ prevents sponder and an encrypted key code. The engine start. system authenticates users to enable or disable vehicle start-up. Upon authentica- The following key tion, the ECM is released over a secure transponder technol- communication line to start the vehicle. ogies are available: The immobiliser, ➊, is embedded RFID with a unique code that prevents the TRANSPONDER vehicle from running unless the correct Many anti-theft key is inserted. The microcircuit inside systems make use the key is activated by a small electro- of Radio Fre- magnetic field, which induces current quency Identifica- ❶ Delphi vehicle immobiliser autotechreview August 2013 Volume 2 | Issue 8 51 TECHNOLOGY IMMOBILISER SYSTEMS

assembly of LF reception and base sta- NXP/Sokymat Transponder Coil + Base Station EMS Controller tion. The twisted pair cable can be up to in key OEM 80 cm long. LF Link Communication Delphi uses highly integrated mod- line Delphi Lock Supplier ules, an optimised and innovative pack- Tier - 2 Tier - 1 aging technology, as well as cutting- ➋ Building blocks of the immobiliser module ➌ NXP or Sokymat transponders too are supported edge design and production methods in its products. The company has also inte- grated the immobiliser base station unit application, but have no impact on unlocking the doors. The immobiliser with other existing modules of the vehi- the system security. It is systemati- will not be activated by the alarm cle like BCM and Cluster. This integra- cally integrated with other compo- system – the alarm system affects the tion provides better cost and higher reli- nents that help to provide a high-level starter. The immobiliser’s only action ability to the customers by providing of security through two-way authenti- is allowing the engine to stay run- lesser electronic modules. cation algorithm. Also, it comes with ning a second after starting it. It has flexible packaging options and opti- nothing to do with the power of the mised system configuration to meet . If the car has poor performance OUTLOOK customer requirements. or fuel economy, it has nothing to do with the immobiliser. The immobiliser is slowly becoming a CRYPTO TRANSPONDERS standard fitment in all two- and four- Crypt Code transponder stores secret wheelers due to high extent of vehicle key and transponder ID (factory-pro- PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT thefts. The immobiliser technology also grammed 4-byte security code). It is is changing continuously to keep abreast based on static authentication proce- At its Technical Centre India, Delphi with the external world. We suggest a dure, which means the security sys- engineers develop immobilisers for its three-pronged approach to vehicle theft: tem of the car can verify the identity global and local clients for both the :: Theft Deterrence: Prevents occur- of the key but the electronics in the four-wheeler and two-wheeler seg- rence of theft by making it cumber- key cannot check the identity of the ments. The company has a strong team some and extremely difficult with communication partner. Delphi of engineers working on several commonly used tools. Crypto Transponders allow the key to advanced engineering systems, includ- :: Theft Detection: Detects theft verify the identity of the communica- ing embedded software, mechanical attempt and provides warning to the tion partner that would improve the engineering, product engineering design user. This includes inclination-based security level of the system. and other automotive engineering theft detection technology. The immobiliser developed by related fields. :: Tracking: Tracking system used to Delphi provides high level of security The immobilisers developed by Del- locate vehicle after theft occurrence. through a simple symmetrical algo- phi are available in different variants to The company has provided some high- rithm known as challenge or suit specific customer needs. Delphi has end features in immobilisers for the US response protocol. The security sys- a transponder patented technology that and European two-wheeler market, and tem of the vehicle can check the uses 96-bit encryption technology, they could come into some of the vehi- identity of the key by sending a ques- which is never compromised anywhere cles in India. These technologies include: tion (a challenge) and verifying the in the world. The Delphi team can also :: PEPS (Passive Entry Passive Start) answer (response). The correct support the transponder available from :: Inclination sensor-based theft detec- answer can only be given if a secret other vendors like NXP or Sokymat and tion (detect changes in vehicle posi- is known that is shared by both part- can integrate the same into its immobi- tion by using Inclination sensor) ners. This challenge or response con- liser module, ➌. The base station and :: Battery backed sounders (security cept has several advantages. During coil supplied by us can easily be inte- against disconnection of vehicle normal use, the secret is not grated with any provider. battery) exchanged and both challenge and In the various combinations of :: Bi-directional Key Fobs with range response vary from cycle to cycle. immobiliser modules that are offered, from 50m ~ 500m The immobiliser chip has a range some of the functionalities are inte- of about 1” through plastic and about grated. The immobiliser coil and LF 3” when out of the key (bare chip). reception module could be part of the Although the computer constantly same assembly or available as individ- monitors if the chip is correct or not, ual parts. The base station can also be it won’t shut-off the engine after the integrated together in the same assem- first few seconds of the car engine bly. Another option that is available has

starting. The immobiliser system has the coil as a separate module connected Read this article on nothing to do with opening or via twisted pair cable to an integrated www.autotechreview.com

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