As hijackings spike, insurer Dialdirect has warned the public of relay and CAN-bus attacks rising as well.

In a statement, Dialdirect said the police’s most recent crime statistics for Quarter 1, 2022/2023, indicated a 14% year-on-year increase in hijackings – a finding mirrored by claims they have received.

“Equally concerning for insurers, however, is the prevalence of relay and Can-Bus attacks, targeting high-end vehicles,” said the statement.

Can-bus is the network protocol that manages all of the vehicle electronic signals.

According to Anneli Retief, Head of Dialdirect, “Criminals are using technical equipment to either relay the signal from the key back to the vehicle, or to access the Can-bus* of the vehicle through the electrical harness, and then emulate an emergency start protocol.  Vehicles equipped with keyless entry or emergency start functionality are being targeted.”

A video recently shared by the South African Insurance Crime Bureau (SAICB) shows that criminals can use relay attack technology to steal a vehicle from outside your home, even if your key is inside.

Retief says that, when it comes to both hijackings and relay attacks, it’s crucial for motorists to be vigilant, understand the modus operandi of criminals, and take proactive steps to avoid falling victim.

To avoid becoming a victim of a relay attack, Ibrahim Kurubally, spokesperson for the SAICB, said it’s wise to always keep an eye out for suspicious people and be even more alert in high-risk areas, “but the most effective way of avoiding these attacks is to disable the key fob transmission”.

“Most vehicle manufacturers make it possible for vehicle owners to disable and enable this feature at the press of a button, as shown in this video. It may be a slight inconvenience, but it’s well worth it if your vehicle’s security is at stake.”

To protect yourself against hijackings, the National Hijacking Prevention Academy (NHPA) and Dialdirect provided the following tips:

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