In this day and age, simple siren-based car alarms just aren’t enough. There is a need for a hybrid alarm that not only deters theft, but also recovers after it has been stolen. An audible alarm system, a disabler/immobilizer, and a tracking system are three components that, when integrated together, make the best car alarms.

Car alarm manufacturers are finding ways to mass-produce hybrid car alarms that satisfy the National Insurance Crime Bureau’s “comprehensive approach to auto security.” These hybrid alarms work better than traditional car alarms in many ways. First, these alarms are virtually impossible to disable. Many of them are well hidden, so that car thieves cannot find them nor render them inoperative.

Secondly, these hybrids have built-in “immobilizer” technology that disables critical functions of the vehicle (such as ignition and other switches). Once a forceful or irregular entry into car is made, the car shuts down and cannot be started up.

If the thief still manages to get around this feature, a third security device is enabled – the vehicle tracking system. When a vehicle is stolen, the owner simply calls a number (usually the nearest police station) and law enforcers can contact the car’s tracking system, which responds by emitting signal. The police then track down this signal until they find out the exact location of the vehicle, arrest the thieves, and return the car safely to its owners.

Car owners can expect more developments in the car alarm industry. These technologies are still in their product development and testing stages and tend to be expensive. Give it another year or two, and the best car alarms combining all three security features will be available at more reasonable prices.