Is remote start legal in the UK?
Discussion
paintman said:
https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/1986/1078/regu...
(2) The requirement specified in paragraph (1) as to the stopping of the engine shall not apply in respect of a vehicle—
(a)being used for ambulance, fire brigade or police purposes
So all our ambulance's and response cars have a function called 'run lock', whereby after pressing it you can remove the keys and the engine stays on (so blue lights can stay on at the scene of an accident, and it keeps all equipment in the back charged), but as soon as you take the handbrake off the vehicle will stall and switch off, so you can't actually drive it away without the keys.(2) The requirement specified in paragraph (1) as to the stopping of the engine shall not apply in respect of a vehicle—
(a)being used for ambulance, fire brigade or police purposes
Would that be the case for normal vehicles with remote start as well ? Surely in which case there shouldn't be a problem with it ? (apart from being against the law)...
paintman said:
otolith said:
paintman said:
Bear in mind that there may also be insurance consequences if the vehicle is left running & is stolen, whether that be from a road or your drive.
He's got a remote start feature, the car runs and warms up unattended but cannot be driven without the key.apart from the car theft...
Lord Marylebone said:
Wildcat45 said:
Yes it was an option on earlier Land Rovers and I recall as far back as the 1980s you could get a timer based system on Mercedes.
I think the remote start from the key fob - as seen on some US cars - isn’t allowed in the UK.
Are you sure about key fob start not being allowed in the UK?I think the remote start from the key fob - as seen on some US cars - isn’t allowed in the UK.
I can't honestly see why it would be banned when you can sit in your house and start your car with an app?
I knew a chap who fitted remote start to a manual diesel and didn't connect the "in-gear inhibit" up, he once made the mistake of leaving it in gear and using the remote start... by his account it dragged its back wheels across the carpark until it was stopped by a wall, fortunately didn't hit anyone or anything else along the way.
donkmeister said:
When aftermarket security systems were de rigeur, you could definitely buy remote start modules from the big names. The name "kingfisher" springs to mind but I could be conflating things.
I knew a chap who fitted remote start to a manual diesel and didn't connect the "in-gear inhibit" up, he once made the mistake of leaving it in gear and using the remote start... by his account it dragged its back wheels across the carpark until it was stopped by a wall, fortunately didn't hit anyone or anything else along the way.
A friend of mine did a similar thing with his VW Caddy van when he was working on it.I knew a chap who fitted remote start to a manual diesel and didn't connect the "in-gear inhibit" up, he once made the mistake of leaving it in gear and using the remote start... by his account it dragged its back wheels across the carpark until it was stopped by a wall, fortunately didn't hit anyone or anything else along the way.
He reached through the window and turned the key, it was in gear, started, and set off across the workshop smashing into toolboxes before slamming into the wall where amazingly it still didn’t stall and just started spinning it’s wheels while repeatedly lurching and banging into the wall until he managed to get his hand to the key and turn it off.
It made a hell of a mess.
As a couple of posters have already said, this has been a common feature on a some cars for a few years now. Certainly on JLR’s.
I’ve used the remote start on my XF nearly every day for the last 3 years. Very handy, as it allows remote heating (and temp selection), remote locking, and various menu functions to be read.
There are a few security measures in place-
The car must be locked, (the gear selector auto retracts whilst in P)
Although the engine starts and heaters run etc, the gear selector knob is not accessible (still hidden within the centre console).
Only when the car us unlocked and the key is in very close proximity to the car will the gear selector rise, and the car drive function can be enabled.
TBH, if anyone can steal the car whilst it is running in the remote start mode, they can do it just as easily on any car. They would still need to bypass / clone the start function.
I’ve used the remote start on my XF nearly every day for the last 3 years. Very handy, as it allows remote heating (and temp selection), remote locking, and various menu functions to be read.
There are a few security measures in place-
The car must be locked, (the gear selector auto retracts whilst in P)
Although the engine starts and heaters run etc, the gear selector knob is not accessible (still hidden within the centre console).
Only when the car us unlocked and the key is in very close proximity to the car will the gear selector rise, and the car drive function can be enabled.
TBH, if anyone can steal the car whilst it is running in the remote start mode, they can do it just as easily on any car. They would still need to bypass / clone the start function.
Edited by Ham_and_Jam on Friday 18th September 12:04
Edited by Ham_and_Jam on Friday 18th September 12:05
Medic-one said:
So all our ambulance's and response cars have a function called 'run lock', whereby after pressing it you can remove the keys and the engine stays on (so blue lights can stay on at the scene of an accident, and it keeps all equipment in the back charged), but as soon as you take the handbrake off the vehicle will stall and switch off, so you can't actually drive it away without the keys.
Would that be the case for normal vehicles with remote start as well ? Surely in which case there shouldn't be a problem with it ? (apart from being against the law)...
Most of the car alarm modules are designed to work when the car is locked. Also usually have a neutral feed in so it doesnt try and start in gear and drive off. Older stuff may not be as good though.Would that be the case for normal vehicles with remote start as well ? Surely in which case there shouldn't be a problem with it ? (apart from being against the law)...
Lord Marylebone said:
Just to add, the Department for Transport were asked about remote start a couple of years ago and said this:
“Those who have access to private, off-street parking are legally able to use an app to remotely start a car’s engine and leave it running without being present.
However on the public road, use of such apps would only be lawful where the driver was in close attendance and could take control of the vehicle if needed.”
If you have started the engine using an app or some other form of remote control, and are able to shut it down by the same method, there is a reasonable argument that you are 'in close attendance and could take control of the vehicle'.“Those who have access to private, off-street parking are legally able to use an app to remotely start a car’s engine and leave it running without being present.
However on the public road, use of such apps would only be lawful where the driver was in close attendance and could take control of the vehicle if needed.”
'Unattended' is a grey area as well. It's a case of being a fact to be proved, or how long is a piece of string. You certainly do not have to be in the car, nor within touching distance. I lost few cases while I was a police officer, but one of them was a car being unattended. The chap said he was in a doorway, just across the footway and a doorway down. It was a lie, but I was unable to prove the contrary. The court, via the bloke's brief, decided that 6 yards was close enough.
Lord Marylebone said:
Wildcat45 said:
Yes it was an option on earlier Land Rovers and I recall as far back as the 1980s you could get a timer based system on Mercedes.
I think the remote start from the key fob - as seen on some US cars - isn’t allowed in the UK.
Are you sure about key fob start not being allowed in the UK?I think the remote start from the key fob - as seen on some US cars - isn’t allowed in the UK.
I can't honestly see why it would be banned when you can sit in your house and start your car with an app?
Lord Marylebone said:
whytheory said:
I had this feature on a Holden rental car and thought it was cool, did wonder why you don't see it over here but evidently it is possible. Like you say can't see any problem if the car allows you to do it from factory in UK spec.
Yes. Some UK cars did/do have Auxiliary heaters as standard.GroundEffect said:
I'm not aware of any cars sold in the UK with a Fuel Operated Heater. They're normally only sold in Nordic countries in Europe.
I've definitely seen cars like the diesel Rover 75 and BMW X5 fitted with fuel burning heaters in the UKA friend of mine had a S Type Jag a few years ago and it used to belch smoke out from under one side of the front bumper and we thought the car was on fire... turns out the S Type is fitted with a Webasto heater that runs off the diesel supply.
Glasgowrob said:
What’s the legality of fitting run lock to a non emergency services vehicle
Say for a multi drop courier as an example
Courier could be stop starting every 50 yards and a feature like this would be beneficial
This guy has done it Say for a multi drop courier as an example
Courier could be stop starting every 50 yards and a feature like this would be beneficial
https://youtu.be/i92zAPyx4W0
StuntmanMike said:
Lord Marylebone said:
whytheory said:
I had this feature on a Holden rental car and thought it was cool, did wonder why you don't see it over here but evidently it is possible. Like you say can't see any problem if the car allows you to do it from factory in UK spec.
Yes. Some UK cars did/do have Auxiliary heaters as standard.GroundEffect said:
I'm not aware of any cars sold in the UK with a Fuel Operated Heater. They're normally only sold in Nordic countries in Europe.
I've definitely seen cars like the diesel Rover 75 and BMW X5 fitted with fuel burning heaters in the UKA friend of mine had a S Type Jag a few years ago and it used to belch smoke out from under one side of the front bumper and we thought the car was on fire... turns out the S Type is fitted with a Webasto heater that runs off the diesel supply.
otolith said:
StuntmanMike said:
Lord Marylebone said:
whytheory said:
I had this feature on a Holden rental car and thought it was cool, did wonder why you don't see it over here but evidently it is possible. Like you say can't see any problem if the car allows you to do it from factory in UK spec.
Yes. Some UK cars did/do have Auxiliary heaters as standard.GroundEffect said:
I'm not aware of any cars sold in the UK with a Fuel Operated Heater. They're normally only sold in Nordic countries in Europe.
I've definitely seen cars like the diesel Rover 75 and BMW X5 fitted with fuel burning heaters in the UKA friend of mine had a S Type Jag a few years ago and it used to belch smoke out from under one side of the front bumper and we thought the car was on fire... turns out the S Type is fitted with a Webasto heater that runs off the diesel supply.
Lord Marylebone said:
Just to add, the Department for Transport were asked about remote start a couple of years ago and said this:
“Those who have access to private, off-street parking are legally able to use an app to remotely start a car’s engine and leave it running without being present.
However on the public road, use of such apps would only be lawful where the driver was in close attendance and could take control of the vehicle if needed.”
Do you have a link to the source of that? (Not being a dick, just for future reference!)“Those who have access to private, off-street parking are legally able to use an app to remotely start a car’s engine and leave it running without being present.
However on the public road, use of such apps would only be lawful where the driver was in close attendance and could take control of the vehicle if needed.”
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