The Autowatch 695 CAN bus alarm system – for superior vehicle security

Elsewhere on this website we’ve talked about how we install the Ghost II immobiliser system – a system that’s far superior to standard factory-supplied car or van immobilisers.

But one problem with immobilisers is, unless a thief is clever enough to disable the system, that’s all they do – immobilise the vehicle. Which means if there’s nobody watching, the thief can also cause a great deal of damage to the vehicle, steal its contents and generally cause an insurance nightmare together with a great deal of inconvenience for the owner.

Automatic owner alerts

So what would be the best way of alerting a car or van owner to a potential vehicle theft or break-in when they’re nowhere near the vehicle in question? Car alarms and horn alerts work fine if you’re within earshot – and can recognise your vehicle’s distress call, but if you’re working far away in an upstairs office and your car’s in a basement carpark audible alarms and alerts aren’t going to be much use.

So how about a text message sent by your vehicle’s alarm system? Even if you’re quite some distance away at least you’ve got some sort of notification that all might not be too well where you’ve parked.

And that’s just one of the major selling points of the after-market car alarm system we’ve installed for hundreds of car and van owners: the Autowatch 695 CAN bus alarm system.

After-market defined

What do we mean by after-market? Back in the nineties, EU law made it compulsory for vehicle manufacturers to include a factory-installed immobiliser system but – and it’s a big but – there’s never been a legal requirement for a vehicle to have an alarm system, so in more than half the vehicles manufactured these days, there simply isn’t such a thing. Therefore it’s up to vehicle owners to purchase their own alarm system and have it installed – something we’d be delighted to do for you.

And one of the benefits of an alarm system is the potential reduction of your insurance premiums – as long as it’s Thatcham-approved, as the Autowatch 695 CAN bus system most certainly is.

CAN bus defined

What, you might be thinking, is a CAN bus system? Computer boffins will already be familiar with the term “system bus”, but for the rest of us the best way of describing a bus is a type of electronic circuit that connects the bits inside a computer. And a CAN (Controller Area Network) bus is a way for the various different control units operating in a vehicle to talk to each other, resulting in better internal diagnostics and reduced power and fuel consumption.

Thatcham categories

And for those thinking Thatcham is a town just outside Newbury (which indeed it is), it’s also the organisation that’s been setting industry benchmarks for vehicle alarm and immobiliser systems since the 1990s. Officially known as The Motor Insurance Repair Centre, Thatcham categorises vehicle security devices.

Category 2, for example, defines electronic immobilisers and would therefore include the Ghost II Immobiliser system, while Category 1 (the highest and most sophisticated) alarm systems would include immobilisers while detecting physical disturbances in, on and around the vehicle. These would be tilting and other movements, broken windows and ignition attempts. Category 1 systems are also equipped with their own battery-operated sirens which sound independently of the vehicle’s battery, and can set themselves automatically without any action on the part of the driver.

In terms of Thatcham categories then, the Autowatch 695 CAN bus system is defined as a CAT 2-1 upgrade system, stepping up from a previously installed Category 2 immobiliser to a fully-fledged Category 1 security system complete with immobiliser and car alarm immobiliser system.

How the Autowatch 695 protects your vehicle

The Autowatch 695 can use up to 6 wireless sensors to detect interference with the vehicle’s bonnet, boot, doors and ignition system – and here’s the clever part: it can be physically wired into the vehicle’s CAN bus system at any point, making it practically impossible for car thieves to find and disable it. And yes, if the alarm does go off, the Autowatch 695 really does send the owner a text message to warn them that their vehicle is being interfered with.

Let us install your Autowatch 695

So the Autowatch 695 is definitely an investment worth making to prevent damage to, or loss of, your vehicle and its contents. And with our years of experience recommending and fitting the highest quality and most effective security products for vehicles of all kinds, we can do install an Autowatch 695 in the shortest time, at the lowest cost – for maximum security.

We can equip any kind of vehicle – from a family saloon to a workhorse van – with the Thatcham-approved Autowatch 695 alarm system, together with many other security devices at any of our London and Milton Keynes workshops. (And don’t forget, if you ever have any kind of issue with your vehicle keys, locks or ignition barrels, we can come to you anywhere in London and the Home Counties in less than an hour, and provide the solution you need right there and then.)

Give our customer service team a call to discover more about the Autowatch 695 and arrange a ghost immobiliser installation or van alarm system appointment, so you can drive away afterward knowing that your vehicle is protected at the highest security category Thatcham can award.