By Paul MacSweeney, SBD Vehicle Security Project Engineer

Remote engine start provides a convenient way for a driver to warm or cool the interior of their car. This is particular useful in markets which experience extreme climate conditions, particularly where it is very cold. Availability of such systems is much higher in places like Russia, Canada and Alaska where winters are long and harsh but that doesn’t prevent customers from wanting them in other markets such as China where they can be seen as a desirable feature for those that want the latest technologies.

Before the widespread adoption of immobilisers in the early 1990s remote start systems worked very simply, the customer pressed a button on a transmitter which communicated with an ECU in the vehicle to start the engine. An immobiliser prevents this from happening. Since the fitment of electronic immobilisers has increased, suppliers have had to come up with ways of bypassing the immobiliser system and in some cases these bypass methods are crude and pose a significant security risk.

The legality of remote start is something of a mystery in many of the markets where systems can be purchased. In some markets you may be able to buy a system but you can only use it under specific circumstances and in other markets you may be restricted by how long you can use it for. In some markets it’s illegal to use remote start but there are still systems available and there are still people who purchase them.

The market for remote engine start is complex and potentially difficult to understand. This report simplifies it and explains how the systems work, how they integrate with OE security systems and it identifies the solutions necessary to avoid compromising a vehicles’ security.

In the short to medium term there is likely to be an ongoing demand for remote start systems in the identified markets, however, in the long term SBD expect that demand for remote start will be replaced as vehicle manufacturers develop climate control systems that can be operated directly, without the need for the engine to be running. This development is a necessity for electric vehicles and some systems are already available.

The more complex control that is required for direct operation of the climate control means that a more complex interface is required. Early market indicators are that smartphone interfaces linked with key fobs or telematics systems could replace the control of this function on the vehicle keyfob, but there is still a market for OE key fob systems over the next few years.

For more information or to buy The Market for Remote Engine Start, contact Juanita Appleby at jappleby@sbd.co.uk