There has been a rash of car thefts around the country, and it feels like it's getting harder and harder to protect our cars.
However, the University of Michigan might have a solution as researchers work to protect you and your vehicle.
Those researchers are working on a device that could be a game-changer for protecting our cars and the technology in them.
It's called the Battery Sleuth. The device is plugged into the auxiliary power outlet, also referred to as the cigarette lighter.
The idea is to enter a code or use your fingerprint to send a signal to your car's battery. Without the right code, the car won't start.
You also can't tamper with the device, and those who try will set the car off.
"It's going to put on the siren or it will set off the alarms," U-M Computer Science Professor Kang Shin said.
Shin said the battery sleuth is relatively cheap to make – only $50. They are now in the process of testing it on different types of cars, with a grant of $1.2 million from the National Science Foundation.
"We want to be able to deploy this as soon as possible and as widely as possible," Shin said.
Some people were skeptical though. Mark Scicluna from Southfield worried that the device itself could get hacked.
Others, however, like Jodie Smith and Charlie Ponder, love the idea of anything that could protect their car.
Researchers are also working on a key pad that could work outside of the car as a way to get in.
