A car alarm can help prevent your vehicle being stolen, and a suitable car alarm or motorhome alarm also gets you discounts on your monthly car insurance bill and cheaper campervan insurance. But while early car alarms alerted passersby to a vehicle theft just by making a loud ringing noise, modern two way car alarms offer many improvements, thanks to developments in modern security technology. If they detect a break-in, they can notify you by pager, and then they can even allow you to start your car remotely and control it from a distance.
The ability for a two way or a gsm alarm to page the owner and for the owner to operate the door locks and trunks remotely has allowed some car owners to prevent a theft in progress from as far as 2500 feet away. However, law enforcement officials have not all endorsed these alarms. Some have concerns over citizen safety, with the possibility that car owners may engage in vigilantism.
Many alarm manufacturers have been building GPS systems into two way alarm systems. These are not 100% foolproof, as they require an unblocked line of sight between the car and the satellite, which can be blocked by solid structures such a underground parking garages or even some metal carports. However, they are a big improvement in security technology, offering the opportunity to pinpoint and track stolen vehicles so that they can be located and reunited with their owners.
Some two way car alarms also include remote controlled options for comfort. The car can be started from a distance, with the doors still locked, and climate control systems engaged to provide the owner a more comfortable ride from the moment of getting into the car.
Not every car can be fitted with a modern two way car alarm, and if your car doesn’t meet certain requirements, some of the remote control features will be limited. For example, remote controlled door unlocking won’t work if your car doesn’t have automated door locking in the first place. Your car will also need to have an automatic transmission, since many two way car alarms are only designed to work with these. But if your car meets these specifications, you can make the most of the comfort and security improvements offered by two way car alarms.