# Do the new style of car keys actually prevent theft?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-new-style-of-car-keys-actually-prevent-theft/610157
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [January 20, 2012, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-new-style-of-car-keys-actually-prevent-theft/610157 "2012-01-20T18:51:40Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 3
### Author:  [@md2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/md2000)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2012, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-new-style-of-car-keys-actually-prevent-theft/610157/41 "2012-01-30T15:01:10Z")
> [@Inigo\_Montoya](#):
>
> Car thieves are all kinds of people and they target different vehicles depending on what they’re after. I’m just sayin if there is an illicit market for the car, an expedient workaround for its OEM security system will be found within days of the vehicle’s release to the public. Which is not the same thing as saying the chip key thing is a scam with no value to the customer, but it’s still just deterrence with no guaranty of success.
This is the same as experts say about home security. If someone really wants to get into your house, they can. It depends how much time and and effort they want to spend.
What you can do with good security is make the average criminal realize it’s easier to try the one down the street instead of yours.
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### Author:  [@cornflakes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cornflakes)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2012, 4:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-new-style-of-car-keys-actually-prevent-theft/610157/42 "2012-01-30T16:53:46Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#):
>
> \*WTF is up with rental car companies giving you two keys, and then connecting them with an unbreakable chain? I think the above car had only one, though.
> [@enipla](#):
>
> A BIG pet peave of mine. I always put my Wife and I on as drivers. It would be nice if we could both have a key. And the damn things are so big typicaly with a big key fob thing it’s HUGE in my pocket.
>
> I complained once, and was told it would be to hard to keep track of.
WAG: rental cars don’t stay at one location; they are moved from location to location (and state to state, etc) based on demand and due to one-way rentals. The only effective way to guarantee that the car has two keys when it is returned to the manufacturer and sold as a program car is to tie both keys to the same fob.
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### Author:  [@Rick](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rick)
#### Post date: [January 30, 2012, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/do-the-new-style-of-car-keys-actually-prevent-theft/610157/43 "2012-01-30T18:55:22Z")
> [@Inigo\_Montoya](#):
>
> Car thieves are all kinds of people and they target different vehicles depending on what they’re after. I’m just sayin if there is an illicit market for the car, an expedient workaround for its OEM security system will be found within days of the vehicle’s release to the public. Which is not the same thing as saying the chip key thing is a scam with no value to the customer, but it’s still just deterrence with no guaranty of success.
The expedient work around is, always has been, and will continue to be a tow truck.
So unless you have a squad of Marines guarding you car it is much more likely to be towed then getting a key cloned.
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