Ford is looking to make things harder for hackers by introducing smart key fob that puts itself to sleep. The new feature is only available to the European division of the company.

The car company explains that hackers can copy the information in the key fob and use it to make duplicates. These duplicates can then do the same things the original keys can. This means car thieves can open the car and even start the engine.

The new technology introduced by the company means the key fob will now turn itself off after 40 seconds of inactivity. Upon entering sleep mode, the fob then becomes inactive and just a piece of plastic and metal. It will not receive or send any signal, thereby making it impossible to duplicate. The fob will also automatically come back alive when the owner moves towards the car with it. It also does not unlock the doors until it is 6.5 feet away from the car.

The new smart key fob is now available in the United Kingdom. It will come with the latest versions of the Ford Fiesta. It will also be in the fourth-generation Focus which rolls out in May 2019. The owners of the compactible older cars can also order a hacker-proof key fob from their nearest dealer. It will cost about $100.

The car company is yet to announce when it plans to bring the feature to the United States and the rest of the world.

Just like Ford, German company Bosch also showcased a keyless technology this year. It replaces the key fob with a smartphone app that is as secure as fingerprint identification. They did this at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) 2019.

There are also now predictions that Apple’s Touch ID technology could be used in the automotive industry in the near future.