Vehicle keys are one such type of information which can act as a source of critical information for the detectives. Auto related part key forensics is the examination of keys related to the vehicles including the key data that can be used in investigations. In any car related criminal investigation or accident reconstruction, the keys to the vehicle in question are valuable assets in putting the puzzle together. In the current blog post, the possibility of vehicle key forensics, kinds of evidence that may be revealed, and its significance at the present era will be discussed.
What actually is Vehicle Key Forensics?
Vehicle key forensics is one of the main sub sections of automotive forensic and involves examination of keys and keyless fobs present in vehicles. Vehicle keys often encode important information that can be useful in solving criminal incidents or accidents. It may look into the current state of the key, changes that may have been made on it and the stored data in these newest key models, key fobs. Modern car keys have become far from being the simple pieces of metal that unlock a car’s door – they are electronic devices capable of storing valuable information.
Types of Vehicle Keys
One of the broad categories of vehicle keys is explained below in detail as to how it can contain one form of evidence or another. The most common type’s car keys include:
Traditional Mechanical Keys: These are basic metal keys which are used in old models of vehicles in the market. While they are not used for storing digital data, they can be studied at the micro level for patterns of wear and scratches, which may point to usage in a definite car or occasion.
Transponder Keys: These latest versions come with a tiny desiccant chip within it, which sends signals to the car’s engine device known as the ECU. The vehicle must have a transponder key to start and in some cases provide useful information like when was the last time the key was used or the whereabouts of the car.
Key Fobs and Remote Entry Systems: These advanced keys can open the door to the vehicle and also start the engine, from a distance. Most fobs contain RFID chips that are integrated and can be used to reboot tell-tales for the when and where of fob usage.
Smart Keys and Keyless Entry Systems: A keyless entry system employs a key fob with which it sends a signal to the car it supposedly unlocks. When detected within a certain distance from the car, the fob sends a signal to the car so that the owner can unlock and / or start the car without actually inserting the key. Such systems may even retain records of the interactions with the vehicle that will be of value in criminal cases.
Use of Vehicle Key Forensics in Crime Investigation
When involved in criminal investigations, there are opportunities that one may find the key of the vehicle that may lead to a suspect or even a witness. Here are some ways vehicle key forensics can be used:
Linking Suspects to Crime Scenes: By identifying a suspect, an officer will simply have to match the found key to a specific car. Using the key, forensic experts can determine the time the vehicle was driven and, where GPS information is implicated, the location of the car during a crime can be identified.
Stolen Vehicle Investigations: In carjacking, the key or key fob used in neutralizing the car security system may be taken as evidence. It is by seeing the key, that investigators will be able to establish whether the thief had a copy of the important key or whether they used a technical way known as the relay attack in order to steal the car.
Evidence of Forced Entry or Tampering: Physical examination of the vehicle key may show evidence of Interference, by observing changed parts that may indicate that the car was stolen along with other properties. Physical evidence may also be sought after from the key as the forensic expert can tell whether the same key was used to break into the house.
Vehicle Key Data: Unlocking Digital Evidence
Keys present in today’s sophisticated cars are more advanced, therefore they may contain many other forms of data which could be relevant in forensic vehicle investigations. For example:
Access Logs: Most cars with keyless remotes keep track of when a given key was employed, including occasions when the key fob communicated with the car. These types of logs can be very helpful in creating a timeline of events.
Location Data: Some smart keys and transponder systems are compact and fit the car’s dashboard and they can also be integrated into GPS systems that can offer the digital account of where the car was at a given time. When this data is available, this is very useful in identifying other locations that may be of interest in a case.
Signal Interception and Decryption: Police officers can also gain control of the various signals that transpire between a key fob and the car in question. These signals could also encode some form of data that could be analyzed further with a decryption key.
In What Ways Can Vehicle Key Forensics Be Useful to Accidents Investigation?
The forensic analysis of a vehicle’s key is not confined to criminal use; it also makes a valid contribution to accident cases and crashes. The following are some examples of how vehicle keys can provide crucial evidence:
Establishing Vehicle Use Before the Accident: Automotive engineers can easily establish if the key was inside the car at the time of the crash or whether the car was driven a short time before the event happened. This assists in creating a timeline and finding out whether the vehicle was involved in the accident or not.
Key Damage Analysis: In some cases the condition of the key can help investigators determine whether the key was in use during the accident. For instance, if the key was deformed during an accident or the fob was discovered at the scene of the accident it may harbor useful information on the happenings just before the accident.
Conclusion
Vehicle key forensic services are very essential in ascertaining key facts and likelihood during investigations of criminal activities or accidents. When it comes to either simple mechanical keys or high-tech smart ones, the amount of information secured by the forensics can reveal the course of events which led to a crime or an accident. As car technology is steadily improving, the field of vehicle key forensics services will be even more important for difficult cases. This study shows that opportunities to find hidden pieces of evidence that are locked in the keys of vehicles can be used by investigational departments.
