Jaguar Land Rover (JLR) UK is taking significant strides to fortify the security of its vehicles, setting new standards for automotive safety and resilience against theft. The company’s commitment is evident in the performance of its latest models: JLR reports that only 0.07% of new Range Rovers and Range Rover Sports have been stolen since January 2022, and a mere 0.3% of new Defenders since 2020.
An investment of more £10m, initiated in 2018, has enabled JLR to implement a series of robust security updates. These have been designed to counter evolving theft methods and have already been extended to more than 65,000 vehicles in the UK, resulting in a remarkable reduction of over 40% in thefts of Range Rover and Range Rover Sport models built from 2018 to 2022, JLR states.
Currently, the auto maker is urging eligible clients, who have been contacted by the company, to avail themselves of a complimentary security upgrade. The focus is not only on new vehicles but also on enhancing the security of previous generation models, including those no longer under warranty. This inclusive approach aims to ensure that vehicles built from 2018 onward receive the same high level of protection as the latest models.
Patrick McGillycuddy, MD of JLR UK, emphasized the company’s understanding of the impact of vehicle theft on the ownership experience: “Through our long-standing collaboration with law enforcement and key partners, our expert team will continue to develop and deploy effective anti-theft measures to ensure clients are protected. It is my personal priority.”
JLR’s substantial investment includes updates to the body control module (BCM), addressing vulnerabilities in keyless entry systems that criminals exploit. The introduction of ultra-wideband (UWB) protection in 2018 has proven effective in countering relay attacks, providing an additional layer of security against unauthorized access.
Collaborating closely with Thatcham Research for nearly three decades, JLR develops industry-leading security systems. Richard Billyeald, CTO at Thatcham Research, acknowledged JLR’s proactive stance in identifying and addressing potential security vulnerabilities: “We continue to work closely with JLR, including benchmarking of their recently implemented theft countermeasures as examples of security best practice. We are hopeful these measures will limit further theft exposure.”
