In-car wi-fi and cloud-based applications present a wide range of opportunities for thieves to attack, making it even more difficult for modern vehicles to be completely secure from determined hackers, says Tracker.

Researchers at Pentest Partners have exposed security vulnerability in Mitsubishi Outlander hybrid cars that allowed hackers to remotely turn off the car’s alarm system, control the lights and drain the battery.

Andy Barrs, head of police Liaison at stolen vehicle recovery specialist, which is part of the Tantalum Corporation, said: “The latest security breach, involving the Outlander, demonstrates just how advanced thieves are in developing their tactics to tackle new technology.

"Although manufacturers are constantly developing new immobiliser technology, designed to outpace criminals and make new models significantly more secure, thieves will continue to look for new ways to outwit them, including exploiting telematics and mobile connectivity.

“Of late, standalone key programming theft tools have been making news headlines, but over the next decade, cloud-based theft tools that simply require internet connection are anticipated to dominate. 

"By hacking this type of technology thieves are able to easily target the most desirable models and steal to order, requiring no tools to enter or drive the vehicle away.”