2023 Author: Eric Donovan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-08-25 09:36
According to police estimates, almost every third used car in Germany has a fake speedometer. The number could increase with new technologies.
In Germany alone, counterfeiters cause six billion euros in damage every year. The police assume that in this country every third used car with the wrong mileage changes hands. On average, buyers pay 3,000 euros too much, as a spokesman for the Munich police told "Welt am Sonntag".
And these scams might just be the beginning. Because new technologies, such as vehicle-to-vehicle communication, for example, could make intervening in the car software even easier. "The technologies currently being developed create new possibilities for manipulation, particularly through external attacks by third parties," states the Federal Highway Research Institute.
Protection from motor vehicle experts
The falsification of the speedometer display usually takes place via the interface of the so-called onboard diagnosis (OBD), which is intended for diagnosis in the workshop. According to the report, all other utensils for "turning the speedometer" can be bought online for 7,500 euros: a 16-pin OBD connector, the information about its coding and a speedometer adjustment device.
If you want to protect yourself from the trickery when buying a used car, you should contact a motor vehicle expert. This is most likely to tell from the condition of the paintwork or the degree of wear and tear of the seat cushions whether the stated mileage corresponds to reality. A look in the service booklet or in the engine compartment often speaks volumes.
In order to put a stop to fraud in the future, however, the industry is also in demand. For example, manufacturers should make their speedometers safer, as a spokesman for the ADAC is now demanding. For this purpose, for example, the mileage could be recorded at various points. That would make the manipulation much more complex and therefore also less attractive. Mercedes and BMW already have such protection systems in their range, but do not want to comment on them. (mid)
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