With the growing number of cellular phone users, the company has developed a wireless system that will alert owners via their cellphone when their vehicle is being tampered with. Within eight seconds of the theft forcing entry or tampering with the ignition system, the owner will receive a voice call, rather than an SMS message. Once altered the owner can immobilize the vehicle by calling the vehicle’s on-board system and entering a preset code, which will shut down the fuel supply.

If the owner is unavailable, the Cellstop system dials an emergency number to notify the authorities to take action.

The system employs an on-board microprocessor, Siemens cellular device and a Vodacom SIM card, all linked to the motherboard hardwired to the vehicle.

Features of the Cellstop anti-theft system

• Alerts owners within 8 seconds of their car being tampered with
• Immobilizes the vehicle when owner dials preset code
• Dials emergency agencies if owners does not respond
• Makes provisions for up to three alternate contact numbers to be programmed into the system
• Provides a 48-hour disarm setting to allow for the servicing of the vehicle
• Triggers the indicators to flash and a loud beep to sound when a vehicle has been hijacked by a perpetrator. Then emergency authorities can be dispatched to retrieve the automobile

Topcar Magazine reported that they had the system fitted to an Audi A3 1.8T and found that the device operates seamlessly, as promised. Evaluators said the installation was tidy and invisible, leaving no obvious clues to its location and did not interfere with the car’s operating systems. They noted that dialing the on-board system and entering the code were very straightforward.

However, they did recommend that future upgrades provide geographical information as to the location of the vehicle for emergency services.