Patent ID: 8099986

Claim:
A steering means locking apparatus having a locked and an unlocked configuration, comprising: an operational member; a lock pin movable between a protruded position and a retracted position in response to an operation of the operational member; a biasing means for biasing the lock pin to the retracted position; a latching means for restricting movement of the lock pin between the protruded position and the retracted position; and a control unit for controlling driving of the latching means; wherein, the control unit is configured to; detect a change of a main power source of a vehicle from an ON to an OFF state; release the movement restriction of the lock pin restricted by the latching means in response to the detection of the OFF state, determine if the lock pin is in the protruded position; carry out code collation of a portable key's code, when the lock pin is determined to be in the protruded position subsequent to the release of the movement restriction of the lock pin, wherein the code is associated with a specific vehicle; maintain the lock pin via the latching means in the protruded position to place the steering means in the locked configuration if the code collation is correctly carried out; and maintain the release of the movement restriction of the lock pin via the latching means to prevent the steering means from being placed in the locked configuration if the code collation is not correctly carried out.