FLEET managers and company car drivers should soon be able to assess a car's theft protection by using a security rating scheme. The scheme is likely to be launched in late summer or early autumn with every new model on sale in the UK being given a 'theft of' and 'theft from' security star rating.

While the scheme does not include a risk assessment of any vehicle the star rating will allow fleet chiefs to compare one car with another in terms of the security features fitted and their ability to prevent theft. Under both indices, cars will be rated out of five stars making the system similar in style to the well established European New Car Assessment Programme.

Plans for the scheme were first revealed by Fleet NewsNet earlier this year and are being developed by a special sub-group of the Vehicle Crime Reduction Action Team chaired by Mike Wear, director of fleet operations at Ford.