Modern cars are equipped with advanced driver assistance systems, making them rolling sensor platforms. However, the value of these sensors has created an underground market for stolen radar sensors.
Thieves are targeting popular models from Honda, Mazda, and Hyundai in New York City and its surrounding areas. Local investigators have identified the ease with which thieves can remove these parts, often using simple hand tools like flathead screwdrivers.
The popularity of this trend started during the COVID-19 pandemic era, coinciding with the proliferation of advanced hardware across the automotive industry. Experts believe that individual thieves may act alone, but groups of offenders often work together to maximize their haul in a short time frame.
Repair shops are passing stolen parts back into circulation, and sensor replacements are a common need in cities like New York where double- and triple-parking occur frequently. To combat this problem, automakers should consider working with law enforcement to develop solutions to better protect these systems before they leave the vehicle, as well as ways to render them useless once they have.
The real solution lies in car companies finding ways to deactivate sensors as soon as they are removed from a vehicle.
The ease with which thieves can remove radar sensors highlights the need for automakers to prioritize sensor security and develop effective solutions to protect these systems. By rendering sensors useless, manufacturers can significantly reduce the value of stolen parts and make it more difficult for thieves to sell them on the black market.
