An innovative system for securing ATVs, tractors and other farm vehicles is being launched next month by Shropshire company Intelligent Band.

As the name suggests, it is a wristband that contains a computerised code  to personalise  the vehicle to its owner and stop thieves making off with expensive kit. The system is a bit like a car ignition lock, whereby the vehicle can only be started if two items are in close proximity.

See also: Derwent ups tractor security

In this case, it is a non-powered RFID chip in the wristband and a 2.5cm diameter reader on the tractor or ATV dash. Unless the two items are within a few centimetres of each other, the vehicle won’t fire up.

“Unless the machine’s code  matches your unique band, you won’t be able to start the engine,” says James Anstis-Smith, who spent 12 years in the Royal Engineers before starting a security company that has fitted CCTV systems on more than 500 farms. ”You can’t hotwire it either.

“One single Intelligent Band system can hold the access code to a whole fleet of vehicles. So there’s no need for large sets of keys or codes,” he adds. Also, each band is serialised, so a farmer can give some workers access to more vehicles than others. And there are no batteries to replace.    

Cost is £350/vehicle, but the company says it will give a 7.5% rebate on the vehicle insurance for the first year.