--- title: "This $25,000 Gadget Can Steal Almost Any Car That Starts With a Fob" description: "This $25,000 gadget, in the shape of a Nintendo Game Boy, is a magic key that can emulate the signal from a whole host of car maker's key fobs." date: "2020-07-16" modified: "2020-07-16" authors: - name: "Victor Tangermann" job_title: "Senior Editor" link: "https://futurism.com/authors/victor" url: "https://futurism.com/the-byte/gadget-steal-almost-any-car" categories: - "Advanced Transport" tags: - "car" - "car hack" - "the digest" --- # This $25,000 Gadget Can Steal Almost Any Car That Starts With a Fob ![This $25,000 gadget, in the shape of a Nintendo Game Boy, is a magic key that can emulate the signal from a whole host of car maker's key fobs.]() *\Image: SOS Autokeys via The Drive\* ## Game Boy Car It's stylized like a Nintendo Game Boy, but you won't be able to play "Super Mario Land" on it. Instead, the $25,000 device is designed to emulate the signal from a whole host of car makers' key fobs. In other words, [*The Drive* reports](), it's a skeleton car key — a devious gadget that lets you steal almost any modern car. The SOS Key Tool is being sold by SOS Autokeys, a Bulgarian company that claims it doesn't want to break any laws, according to *The Drive*. But potential owners won't have to go through a background check, either. So, uh, we're sure that everything they do will be perfectly legit. ## Pop and Unlock By activating a proximity system through the press of a button, owners of the shady device can scan and record any signal coming from the target car. The tool will even allow you to start the car through keyless ignition. A similar technology was likely used by hackers who targeted Teslas in August of last year. Thieves [showed up on home security video footage]() walking up to a Tesla owner's home with what appeared to be some sort of device, likely attempting to spoof the vehicle's fob signal. As soon as *The Drive* published its story, all traces of the device seemed to disappear. Has law and order prevailed? **READ MORE:** [This $25,000 'Game Boy' Is Made For Stealing Cars, Not Playing Tetris]() \[*The Drive*\] **More on cars:** *[German Court: Tesla’s “Autopilot” Is False Advertising]()* ## Author I've been at Futurism since 2017, where my role has evolved to encompass design, writing, and increasingly editing. I've always been fascinated by space exploration and advanced transportation, which I've leaned into by interviewing luminaries in those fields while closely following the dimensions of policy and regulation that allow next-generation projects to succeed -- or, sometimes, to fail. I'm also keenly interested in the effects of generative AI on society, policies, and democratic institutions, as well as clean energy, physics and biology, and the vagaries of tech leadership. My work for Futurism has been cited by publications including Ars Technica, Gizmodo, PC Magazine, Jalopnik, Fox News, and the New York Post. I spent my childhood living in locations including Manila, the Philippines, and Geneva, Switzerland, attended McGill University, and now live in Toronto, Canada. Before Futurism I worked at AskMen and a small photography studio. In my free time, I'm an avid gardener, foodie, and craft beer lover, as well as a maker of artisanal hot pepper sauces. I have a magnificent dog named Freida. ### Author social links [Bluesky]()