Helping to recover your stolen car using tracking tech

We have introduced a new smartphone-connected security service ¹ for car owners that can help recover your car in the event of a theft, and also help prevent it from being stolen in the first place.

Vehicle theft remains a significant problem across Europe ² and a large proportion of stolen vehicles are never recovered, ³ which can cause significant financial and emotional stress.

Stolen Vehicle Services can detect an attempted theft and alert the owner via the FordPass app ⁴ on their smartphone. In the event that their car is stolen, it connects the owner to a dedicated 24-hour call centre to assist the police to track and recover it.

How it works

If the owner receives an alert on their smartphone that a potential theft has taken place, the FordPass app finds the telephone number for the local police so the owner can report the car stolen and obtain a crime reference number. The app also offers a handy text box to record the reference number and any other important information.

The FordPass app then provides the number for the owner to call Stolen Vehicle Services 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Once the owner provides the relevant information including the crime reference number, the call centre can put the car into ‘theft mode’, where some of the features are disabled and the car is tracked, increasing the chance of recovery by police.

Stolen Vehicle Services also offers an enhanced level of protection, with the ability to detect events that could indicate an attempt is being made to steal the vehicle. These include attempting to disable FordPass Connect, the car’s internal modem, and inconsistent location, where the car is in a different place to when the ignition was turned off.

Available for the new Mustang Mach-E GT ⁵ with other Ford vehicles to follow, Stolen Vehicle Services is part of the Ford Secure subscription package, available as a free trial on compatible vehicles. ⁶

¹ Features require activation

² Number of police recorded offences of theft of motorised land vehicle

³ 45.31 per cent of stolen vehicles were recovered by police between 2009 and 2018

⁴ FordPass app, compatible with selected smartphone platforms, is available via download. Message and data rates apply. FordPass Connect, the FordPass app and complimentary Connected Service are required for remote features (see FordPass terms for details). Connected Service and features depend on Vodafone or Vodafone partner mobile network availability. Evolving technology/mobile networks/vehicle capability may limit functionality and prevent operation of connected features. Connected Service excludes Wi-Fi hotspot.

⁵ The declared WLTP fuel/energy consumptions, CO₂-emissions and electric range are determined according to the technical requirements and specifications of the European Regulations (EC) 715/2007 and (EU) 2017/1151 as last amended. The applied standard test procedures enable comparison between different vehicle types and different manufacturers.

⁶ Available at additional cost following trial period. Costs may vary depending on market and currency.

Follow @FordEU