Keyless cars work by using a short-range transmitter that sends a signal to the vehicle.
As long as you have the device in your pocket or a bag, you can open the door at a click of a button. Without the signal, the doors remain locked.
There are variations though, some “keyless cars” aren’t actually keyless – they may have keyless entry but you might still need the key turn the engine on.
It’s no surprise that as technology advances, so does criminals’ ability to use it to their advantage. Keyless car theft involves two people working together to trick the car into thinking that the key is nearby, and therefore allowing them to open it – one with a relay amplifier and one with a transmitter. A lot of keyless car theft involves thieves “stealing” the signal from car fobs inside peoples’ homes.
The amplifier intercepts the signal from the key fob, and it sends the signal to the transmitter which is with the other thief near the car. The transmitter tricks the car into thinking the key is nearby and unlocks. If it also has keyless ignition then the engine can also be started in the same way. This is often a very quick process, with cars being stolen in a matter of seconds.