Auto Alarm Features and Functions: Part 1
Although vehicles today frequently come with manufacturer installed security system, they are often very basic devices. Smart car owners know that a quality auto alarm can better protect both car and driver.
Car alarms come with numerous features and functions. Before shopping for an enhanced auto security system, get to know all the features available in today’s car alarms.
We’ve put together a comprehensive list. Here’s A-M.
Active Arming
As opposed to passive arming, which turns on the alarm automatically when you lock the car, active arming requires you to arm the alarm by pressing a button on the remote.
Adjustable Volume Confirmation
When arming or disarming, you will hear chirps that confirm your operation. Some security systems allow you to choose to have full-volume chirps or muted ones that are much quieter.
Anti-False Alarm Circuitry
This is special circuitry manufacturers have developed to reduce the number of false alarms. These circuits can be extremely sophisticated. For example: if any alarm zone is activated three times in 60 minutes by things such as thunder, wind, or jackhammers, that zone will be disabled while keeping all other zones active and reactivated after a period of time with no activity. If you don’t like to deal with honking horns and flashing lights every time a semi-truck drives by, this is an excellent feature.
Back-up Battery
While thieves will typically leave cars with alarms alone, some will try to disable the alarm by cutting the line to or from your car’s battery. A back-up battery will make sure your alarm will work even when disconnected from the main battery or if your car battery has simply failed.
Domelight Supervision
As you approach the car and disarm the security system, the domelight will come on and light the car’s interior. When you arm the system, the domelight will flash along with the parking lights as an added deterrent.
Dual Stage Shock Sensor
Rather than going off when your car is accidentally brushed or buffeted by the wind, it will give a warning chirp. If bumped a second time, the alarm will go into full alarm mode.
ESP – Especially Sophisticated Protection system is not a single feature, but a group of features that come with any ESP security system that the manufacturer DEI/Viper offers. The Driver Recognition system knows who will be driving the car by the remote used to disarm it and sets user-preferences accordingly.
High Frequency
High Frequency (HF) systems operate in a range uncluttered by other radio frequency devices and offer increased range. In English that means HF systems will allow you to arm and disarm your security system from further away and with greater reliability- -especially important if you have remote start.
Icon remotes- -No more trying to remember which button does what. Buttons on remote have pictures that represent their function.
Keyless Entry
While lots of new cars come with this feature these days, you may not know that it can be added to any car – new or old, even if it doesn’t have power locks. The most obvious benefit: being able to open your car with the touch of a button. The least obvious benefit: not having to use your key in the door’s locks means no more scrapes around the keyhole.
Motion Sensor
As the name implies, motion sensors detect movement of the vehicle. Although these sensors can detect the smallest bit of motion, its sensitivity is fully adjustable. When properly adjusted, motion sensors rarely give off a false alarm.