The Power of Combined Tracker and Immobiliser Systems for Ultimate Vehicle Security
Vehicle theft has evolved with technology, and so must your car’s defences. Modern thieves use high‑tech methods like keyless relay attacks, OBD‑port hacking, CAN Injection, and key cloning to steal vehicles in mere minutes, sometimes even seconds. In fact, according to insurer Aviva, keyless‑entry cars are twice as likely to be stolen, and nearly 70 % of stolen‑vehicle recoveries in 2023 involved keyless theft. Standard factory security (alarms or basic immobilisers) is NOT enough, because once a thief tricks your car into thinking a valid key is present, the factory security systems are disarmed.
So, how can you protect your vehicle against such modern threats? The answer is a layered approach: fitting a GPS tracker and an engine immobiliser together. Throughout this guide, we’ll explain how each device works, its pros and cons, and why choosing an insurance‑approved tracker and immobiliser offers far better security than installing just one or the other. We’ll also answer common questions drawn from our own Tracker & Immobiliser FAQ and spotlight the Meta Trak S5 DEADLOCK – a leading S5 tracker and immobiliser. By the end, you’ll see why vehicle security experts suggest a combined tracker and immobiliser system is the ‘minimum recommended' amount of security required to prevent modern keyless theft methods and how it keeps you one step ahead of determined thieves.
The Rising Threat of Modern Car‑Theft Techniques
Gone are the days when a loud alarm or steering lock was enough. Criminals now exploit several high‑tech methods:
Relay Attacks – devices relay the signal from your key inside your home, unlocking and starting the car. Because the vehicle “sees” a valid key, the factory alarm and immobiliser disarm automatically. Recorded thefts have taken under 30 seconds. And to be clear, this applies to any vehicle that's fitted with keyless entry/start technology, not just cars.
Key Cloning – thieves copy the digital code from your key or fob, letting them unlock and drive the car while the stock security stands down.
OBD/CAN‑Bus Hacks – plugging specialist tools into the diagnostic port lets criminals program a new key or trigger the starter directly.
Each tactic exploits a single point of failure. If you rely only on the factory immobiliser, relay or cloning defeats it. If you rely only on an aftermarket tracker, your vehicle can still be stolen. A car tracker and immobiliser together remove these vulnerabilities.
Vehicle Trackers – Eyes on Your Car 24/7
A vehicle GPS tracker is installed covertly and monitors for potential theft events. Core benefits:
Continuous Location Tracking – see your vehicle on a map in real time.
Theft Alerts – movement without an ID tag, towing or battery disconnection triggers instant alerts via a phone call from the product's monitoring centre.
Rapid Police Recovery – live co‑ordinates guide police, increasing recovery chances.
Insurance Compliance – many insurers now insist on an S5 tracker immobiliser (with driver‑recognition) for high‑risk cars. Installing an insurance‑approved tracker and immobiliser can earn meaningful premium reductions.
Smart Extras – apps, journey logs, geofences and driver‑behaviour scoring.
Strengths: Enables recovery of a stolen vehicle even if your immobiliser is bypassed or your keys are stolen. Limitations: Still allows the theft of the vehicle in the first instance, putting you on the back foot straight away. Trackers are reactive only and are not preventive theft prevention products.
Engine Immobilisers – Stopping Thieves in Their Tracks
An engine immobiliser is a digital kill‑switch that prevents the car from starting unless separate authorisation is present.
Factory vs Aftermarket Immobilisers
Factory‑fitted immobilisers rely on the key’s transponder. Relay or cloning attacks spoof that signal, so the vehicle happily starts. A dedicated stand-alone aftermarket immobiliser works on a different logic channel, independent of the key.
Common Aftermarket Immobiliser Types
Automatic ADR Immobilisers (Proximity based) – carry a wireless ID tag; when it leaves the vehicle (≈ 5–10 m) the immobiliser arms. Without the tag the engine won’t start – classic “No Tag, No Start” protection.
Driver‑PIN / Push‑Sequence Immobilisers – some systems require a secret button sequence or smartphone app PIN each time you drive. If a thief lacks the code, the engine stays dead. Such products include the Autowatch Ghost 2 immobiliser.
Modern products (e.g. Meta Trak) offer extra modes such as “No Tag, One Start” for anti‑coercion and optional ID tag button press disarming.
Strengths: true theft prevention, unaffected by GSM/GPS jammers. Limitations: no live location data if the vehicle is towed or the immobiliser is bypassed.
Why a Tracker and Immobiliser Together Beat Single‑Layer Security
1. Theft Prevention Plus Recovery
The immobiliser prevents or delays the theft; the tracker ensures recovery if a theft still occurs.
2. Instant Alerts & Active Response
Integrated systems notify you and the monitoring centre the moment unauthorised movement or tampering is detected
3. Always Protected – No Tag, No Start
With automatic driver recognition (ADR) proximity tags, your car auto‑immobilises every time you walk away – hassle‑free, always‑on defence.
4. Remote Engine Block
When the tracker and immobiliser share the same platform, you can safely remote‑deadlock the engine once the vehicle stops. This feature also prevents starting your vehicle even with an authorised immobiliser ID tag present.
5. Insurance Benefits
Insurers increasingly specify a tracker and immobiliser meeting Thatcham S5. A combined insurance‑approved tracker and immobiliser, therefore, satisfies policy terms and slashes risk.
Meta Trak S5 DEADLOCK – The Benchmark S5 Tracker and Immobiliser
S5 Insurance Approval – recognised by every UK insurer.
Two ADR Tags – true No Tag, No Start immobilisation.
24/7 Monitoring & Live App – full GPS, GSM and motion sensing.
Remote Engine Deadlock – immobilise from your phone.
Lifetime Warranty – parts & labour for total peace of mind.
Other variants from the Meta Trak DEADLOCK range, such as the S5 DEADLOCK PRO, add OBD‑port blocking, whilst the S5 DEADLOCK PRO+ also add a secondary wireless back-up tracker for ultimate resilience.
Explore full specs or book installation on the Meta Trak S5 DEADLOCK product page. Alternatively, explore more products and learn more about Meta Trak on our dedicated Meta Trak brand page.
Conclusion – Double Up for Peace of Mind
A GPS tracker alone is reactive; an immobiliser alone is preventive. By combining them, you create a synergistic security shield: thieves can’t start the engine, and if they try anything clever, you have live location, remote deadlock, and professional theft support with direct lines into police control centres. Security experts and insurers alike now view a tracker and immobiliser as the baseline for protecting modern vehicles.
Ready to upgrade? Shop, browse, and compare systems on our Tracker & Immobiliser hub and stay one step ahead of car criminals.