Car theft remains a significant problem in the UK, with 48,500 vehicles taken from their owners in 2021 alone.

While these numbers are much lower than the car theft highs of a few decades earlier, thieves have been changing tactics in recent years, and are now increasingly targeting ‘keyless’ cars by exposing their often-weak security.

There are several things you can do to make your car more secure and to deter thieves. Let’s take a look.

Think about where you park the car

Where you park your car can often play a significant part in the likelihood of a thief taking a chance on your vehicle. When you’re out and about, try and choose the safest place possible to leave your vehicle. Well-lit places are an immediate deterrent while choosing a car park that has CCTV will help put off criminals. You can use the Park Mark website to help you find facilities approved for safety and security.

Parking when you get home is also important. If you have a very visible driveway, it will make crooks notice your vehicle in less time. If you have the option of parking your vehicle around the back of your house, that’s a great idea. Similarly, you could look at installing a parking bollard in front of your vehicle to reduce the likelihood of it being taken.

Where you put your keys is important

It goes without saying but as soon as you get out of your car, you should always lock and secure it, and never be tempted to leave it running – such as when defrosting it on a cold winter’s morning. It’s scenarios like these that opportunist thieves will act on.

After this, you need to think about where you put your keys. Never put them somewhere that’s easily in sight, and try and put them as far away from the car as possible.

Faraday pouch for keyless cars

If you have a keyless car, you should invest in a faraday pouch or box. Available from only around £5, you put your keys inside and then seal the pouch or box, which should stop any ‘keyless’ signals from being emitted, which crooks can use a device to connect with to unlock and start the car even without the keys.

These pouches are a must for any keyless car owner, and don’t forget to put both sets in too. Just be aware that over time these pouches can fade and end up not blocking the signals – you can check by having the keys in the pouch while standing next to the vehicle and seeing if it opens.

Look at steering locks

A physical deterrent is another great idea to help keep your vehicle safer, and one of the best is a steering lock. They might have been well used many years ago, but in a day and age of keyless cars, they’ve made a comeback.

Not only will these hopefully deter thieves in the first place, but they will add time to the job of stealing the car. If you drive a particularly desirable car that’s fitted with keyless entry or start, it’s worth buying.

Install ‘ghost’ immobilisers and trackers

Another deterrent that’s a good idea is an immobiliser. All new cars these days have them but you can add another step by fitting a ‘ghost’ immobiliser. This is where a certain button or number sequence needs to be entered into the car for it to start. It means that even if someone has your keys, they won’t be able to start the vehicle without knowing this pin code.

But should the worst happen, that’s where a vehicle tracker will come in. When installed into the vehicle, you’ll be able to see where the car has been taken, and be able to work with the police to hopefully recover the vehicle. Trackers can sometimes be removed by thieves, however.

Take out any valuables

Even if thieves aren’t set out to steal the car itself, it’s a good idea to try and protect the vehicle from being broken into.

The easiest step you can do is to take out any valuables that will put criminals off breaking in. It’s worth putting any bags or boxes on show (even if of little worth) into the boot or out of sight, just in case someone breaks in thinking it’s items of value.

Never put yourself in danger

While there are a number of actions you can take to help to protect your car, there’s one thing you should never do, and that’s putting yourself in danger.

Some car thieves will be part of organised crime networks, and will not be afraid of using violence to steal your car. It’s not worth risking your life or health, or any other members of your household, in trying to protect your vehicle. As long as your car is fully insured with an accurate current valuation, it’s not worth putting yourself in danger for some metal that can be replaced.

Stellantis says it has hydrogen-powered vans ‘ready to go’ and is preparing to roll out the first UK models in the opening three months of the year.

The carmaker’s UK boss, Paul Willcox, says that the firm remains committed to electrification but is continuing to develop other green alternatives.

Stellantis, which owns Fiat, Citroen, Jeep and Alfa Romeo among others, has already launched its first hydrogen light commercial vehicles (LCVs) in Europe and plans are afoot to bring them to the UK.

It is hoped that the first trial vehicles will enter the country with selected fleets by the end of March.

Willcox says that, while there remain huge barriers around infrastructure, the company is well-placed to utilise the latest eco-technology.

He said: “’An absolute differentiator for Stellantis is hydrogen, because we are now currently the first to market in Europe with hydrogen produced LCV.

“It’s in-market today in mainland Europe and we are starting to trial that in the UK this quarter.

“We’re starting to bring across hydrogen trial vehicles with selected fleets this quarter and when the market is ready, we are ready to go.

“Obviously there are a few hurdles to overcome mainly around refuelling stations but in terms of the preparation of the market, I think we’re in great shape.’

Hydrogen fuel cell technology in cars has been something manufacturers have been exploring for several decades, though due to such little amount of refilling infrastructure, models powered in this way have yet to really get off the ground.

Across the UK, there are currently fewer than 15 public places you can fill up your hydrogen car, with the majority of these in and around the south east.

Toyota remains one of just two car firms in the UK that will sell you an off-the-shelf hydrogen car, with its second-generation Mirai boasting an impressive 400-mile range. The other is Hyundai, with its Nexo SUV.

Last year the Japanese brand unveiled plans to develop a hydrogen fuel-cell pick-up at its Burnaston factory in Derbyshire.

The sale of new petrol and diesel cars in the UK is set to be banned in 2030.

The Nissan Qashqai has been given the title of the UK’s most reliable car following a recent survey.

The Sunderland-built Qashqai was crowned the winner as part of the Which? annual reliability survey, which spoke to 50,000 consumers. It received a five-star reliability rating, with testers impressed by its practicality, dependability and family-friendly appeal.

Only available with hybrid powertrains, the Qashqai is also fitted with Nissan’s latest e-Power system, which offers a more EV-like driving experience but with the added security of a 1.5-litre turbocharged petrol engine.

Andrew Humberstone, managing director of Nissan Motor GB), said: ‘‘Reliability is often the number-one quality that people look for when purchasing any of our vehicles.

‘‘To have endorsement in this area from an independent and rigorous organisation such as Which? – not to mention 50,000 consumers – is a welcome pat on the back for everyone at Nissan who works to ensure the dependability of every car we supply.”

The Qashqai underwent many tests to ensure its reliability before arriving with customers. At Nissan’s Technical Centre in Cranfield, Bedfordshire, the Qashqai was subjected to a climatic four-poster vibration rig that can simulate three years of driving in just five weeks, with engineers listening for squeaks and rattles from the interior during the process. There are even dedicated setups that can repeatedly slam the doors to simulate a ‘lifetime of use’.

David Moss, senior vice president of research & development at Nissan Technical Centre in Cranfield, said: “We’re delighted that both real-world customers and expert reviewers have recognised the quality and durability of our fantastic new Qashqai.

“Our engineering teams put the car through a series of gruelling tests during its development phase to ensure the very highest standards of reliability, so it’s really rewarding to get this recognition from people driving them every day.”

A ‘time capsule’ example of a Lamborghini Countach with just 155 miles on the odometer is set to go under the hammer at auction this month.

The 1989 model was sold to a Detroit-area buyer for $275,000 (£222,755) in 1990 and, at the time of sale, it had 82 miles on the clock. However, by November 2007, the Countach reappeared at its original dealership having been driven just eight miles over the 17-year period.

Between 2010 and 2020, the Lamborghini remained in a ‘prominent’ Ohio collection on static display, but it is said to have been regularly inspected, started and taken on ‘very short drives’ to preserve its mechanicals.

It was then purchased by its current owner in January 2020, yet they’ve done little to make a dent in the mileage. It still wears its original Pirelli P Zero tyres, in fact, and is accompanied by all of its original documentation.

The 25th Anniversary Countach features a metallic black exterior colour with grey leather, while auction house RM Sotheby’s – which is selling the vehicle – believe it to be ‘likely the lowest-mileage example in existence’. Slightly updated over the existing 5000 QV, the revised Countach included changes such as a raised front end and redesigned intakes that helped channel air to the brakes.

Offered as part of the RM Sotheby’s Arizona auction on January 26, the Countach will arrive with an estimate of between $750,000 and $1 million (£607,252-£809,670).

Ministers have said they hope to clear the driving test backlog “within the next few months” following pleas for urgent action from MPs representing rural areas.

Transport minister Richard Holden said waiting lists for driving tests are reducing “rapidly” and he pointed to 300,000 new practical test slots.

But Conservative MP Greg Smith said several of his Buckingham constituents have been unable to secure tests, with one struggling to book a spot at five centres despite logging on daily.

Liberal Democrat former minister Alistair Carmichael said the earliest date for booking a test is 18 weeks away in Shetland, and for Orkney there are “no test dates available”.

He added: “That is quite apart from the continued lack of availability of off-road motorcycle testing.”

Mr Holden earlier told the Commons: “The DVSA (Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency) is recovering after the pandemic. The theory test service is performing well, there are 620,000 practical test appointments in the booking system.

“Since April 2021 it has created an extra 695,000 car practical driving test appointments and the average waiting time to take a car test is at 15.1 weeks, with over 80,000 slots currently available.

“The average waiting time for an HGV or other vocational driving test is currently just over two weeks. The heavy vehicle testing service is operating normally and enforcement operations continued throughout the pandemic.”

Tory colleague Mr Smith said: “Multiple constituents have written to me this week about the inability to get a driving test – one saying that despite logging on daily they can’t get a test at all in nearby test centres at Bletchley, Leighton Buzzard, Aylesbury, Banbury, Northampton.

“For rural communities like those that I represent the car is absolutely essential to get anywhere, young or old, so can (Mr Holden) prioritise when he talks to the DVSA test centres for rural communities to get back on track?”

Mr Holden, MP for North West Durham, replied: “I also represent a rural constituency, although in a different part of the country.

“We have made big progress in recent years with over 300,000 new slots available due to the extra 300 driving instructors we have hired since the pandemic.

“Waiting lists are coming down for driving tests – and rapidly – and we hope to achieve back to pre-pandemic levels within the next few months.”

For Labour, shadow transport minister Simon Lightwood said: “Nationwide almost one in 10 bus driver positions are vacant, hitting vital services across the country hard.

“But ministers are asleep at the wheel, with no action plan to tackle it.

“Currently, DVSA requires a provisional bus licence to start training. But with huge paperwork delays, 20% of applicants give up before their training begins.

“So will the minister listen to calls to speed up this glacial process to allow applicants to begin their theory tests while they wait for their provisional licences?”

Mr Holden replied: “The Opposition spokesman raises a very important point and one I’ve been raising myself and have spoken to both unions and the management recently on visits to both Stevenage and to Gateshead bus depots.

“There’s currently an under three-week wait for driving tests for bus drivers, under three-week wait for practical tests, and we are looking at everything we can to speed it up.”

AA president Edmund King, speaking outside the chamber, said: “As well as rural areas, the driving test backlog is also a big issue in urban areas where many young people are dependent on passing their test to help find employment.

“The AA Charitable Trust supports teenagers in care and care leavers learn to drive in Barnet, north London, in association with the charity Live Unlimited.

“Our research shows that learning to drive not only helps mobility and job prospects of teenage care leavers but also boosts self-esteem.”

More than a quarter of drivers aren’t able to identify what is under their car’s bonnet, a new survey has revealed.

The findings also discovered that over a third of drivers aren’t able to top up their vehicle’s screenwash, while one in five can’t identify the dipstick used to check oil levels.

Breakdown assistance provider Green Flag spoke to 2,000 motorists, who were shown photographs of common engine parts. However, because of an inability to correctly identify these key areas, 31 per cent of respondents leave all maintenance checks to a trained professional during the annual service.

This does, however, come with additional cost, as simple procedures such as topping up the engine oil can easily be done at home without requiring professional help.

Katie Lomas, head of Green Flag Breakdown, said: “It’s essential to carry out regular car maintenance checks to ensure your car is safe to drive, but many drivers wouldn’t know where to start.

“Without regular checks cars can quickly develop faults that can be dangerous and expensive to repair. Although these checks are quick and easy, a significant number of drivers end-up with unnecessary expenses because they would rather pay a mechanic to conduct this work.”

The research has also highlighted that only 50 per cent of drivers can correctly identify a car’s tyre pressure warning light. In addition, a further 43 per cent can’t spot a brake system warning light. More than a third cannot correctly tell when the check engine warning light has been illuminated, too.

Lomas added: “In an environment where UK drivers are already under significant financial pressure, drivers can educate themselves when it comes to identifying warning lights and carrying out basic vehicle maintenance, to improve road safety and save money.”

Rishi Sunak has apologised after removing his seatbelt to film a social media video in the back of a moving car.

The Prime Minister made a “brief error of judgment” by removing the safety device as he promoted his levelling-up funding in the clip filmed for Instagram on Thursday as he visited Lancashire.

A Downing Street spokesman said Mr Sunak “fully accepts this was a mistake and apologises”.

“The Prime Minister believes everyone should wear a seatbelt,” the spokesman said.

“It was an error of judgment, he removed it for a short period of time to film a clip, which you’ve seen, but he accepts that was a mistake.”

Fines of up to £500 can be issued for failing to wear a seatbelt when one is available.

There are a few exemptions, including when a car is being used for police, fire and rescue services and for certified medical issues.

Police motorbikes can be seen escorting the car as Mr Sunak addresses the camera.

Lancashire Constabulary referred a request for comment to the Metropolitan Police.

The Government has considered toughening seatbelt rules to ensure drivers not wearing them could receive penalty points.

Recent Department for Transport figures suggested around 30% of people killed in cars on Britain’s roads in 2021 were unrestrained.

Mr Sunak had already been criticised for flying to Blackpool in a taxpayer-funded RAF jet rather than taking a train.

Labour said Mr Sunak’s video was adding to “endless painful viewing” after he was previously seen struggling to make a contactless payment with his card.

“Rishi Sunak doesn’t know how to manage a seatbelt, his debit card, a train service, the economy, this country,” a spokeswoman said.

“This list is growing every day, and it’s making for endless painful viewing.”

Liberal Democrat deputy leader Daisy Cooper said: “It seems like the PM is getting too used to flying around in private jets that he’s forgotten to wear a seatbelt in a car.

“The fact he’s breaking a basic law is just embarrassing and frankly dangerous.”

The AA warned of the dangers of not wearing a seatbelt.

“No matter who you are it is important to wear your seatbelt when in the car,” an AA spokesman said.

A council is setting its sights on pop superstar Harry Styles as a potential customer for a rare number plate which could be sold to generate funds.

East Renfrewshire Council plans to sell the “HS 0” registration plate given to the former Eastwood District Council many years ago.

Local authority bosses say the number plate serves “no real purpose” and would be viewed by many as “an unnecessary extravagance”.

Councillors will consider the proposal to proceed with the sale at a meeting on January 26, and if approved it will be auctioned off with a suitable reserve.

The council says the sale has been identified as a potential way to generate income amid an “extremely tough” financial landscape.

It is hoping to attract a six-figure sum for the registration plate, with potential interest from celebrities with the initials “HS”, such as Styles or Strictly Come Dancing finalist Helen Skelton.

According to valuation website Regtransfers.co.uk, plates with “HS” can fetch high prices.

Its valuers told the PA news agency that the registration could fetch up to £150,000, but given how unusual it is it could potentially fetch more at auction.

HS 91 was listed on the website at £23,495 and 9 HS was listed for £136,495.

An East Renfrewshire Council spokesperson said: “The council is facing extremely difficult financial circumstances. To address these, and to mitigate their impact, every avenue is being explored in relation to generating efficiencies, charging for services and other ways of generating income.

“In light of the council’s difficult financial situation, all opportunities to generate income need to be considered.

“The sale of the council registration ‘HS 0’ presents the opportunity to generate a sizeable sum. In current circumstances it would be imprudent not to consider the sale of something which serves no real purpose and which, arguably, would be viewed by many as an unnecessary extravagance.”

Registrations with fewer characters attract a higher value, particularly those with an individual’s initials.

The council say the registration plate is particularly unusual due to the fact that most registrations start from the number one.

A Lancia Delta Integrale owned by actor Rowan Atkinson is coming up for auction next month.

The Delta, a famed ‘HF Integrale Evoluzione II’ model known for its rally pedigree, has been owned by the Mr Bean star since since May 2021, with Atkinson adding around 3,000km (1,864 miles) to the car during his time with it, and now displays 90,000km (55,923 miles) on the odometer. Silverstone Auctions, who is selling the car, says the actor has “enjoyed many happy hours in the car”.

The Lancia Delta shot to fame for its domination of the World Rally Championship in the late 1980s and 1990s, with Evoluzione – or ‘Evo’ as the name is usually shortened to – being the road-going homologation models that enabled Lancia to meet the conditions for motorsport.

The Evo II model arrived in June 1993, and is widely considered as the ‘one to have’. Featuring an uprated engine, power from its 2.0-litre turbocharged engine was increased to 215bhp.

Rowan Atkinson’s example was originally supplied to Japan, before being imported to the UK in 2011. It’s painted in Lord Blue, a rare colour for the Integrale.

Silverstone Auctions says the car is ‘supplied with a comprehensive history file’ and is ‘ready to be enjoyed and driven as it should be’.

Estimated to sell for £65,000 to £75,000, the Lancia is being sold at the Race Retro Show at Stoneleigh Park, Warwickshire, on February 25.

Rowan Atkinson is well-known for his love of cars, with the star buying one of the 106 McLaren F1s – now one of the most valuable cars – produced when new in 1997, and famously crashing it twice. He sold the F1 in 2015 for a reported £8m, with more recent cars auctioned off by the star including a Mercedes 500 E and Lancia Thema 8.32.

Hertz and Uber have announced an expanded partnership to bring 25,000 electric cars to the ride-hailing company’s drivers.

The rental firm already makes EVs available to Uber drivers, with a similar partnership in North America seeing nearly 50,000 of them renting Teslas via the scheme.

The firms are now looking to do the same in Europe, with London being the first city to benefit.

Hertz says a ‘wide range of suitable EVs will be on offer’, with the Tesla Model 3 and Polestar 2 being two of the cars available. Paris and Amsterdam will be the next two European capital cities to benefit from the partnership.

Stephen Scherr, chief executive of Hertz, said: “Hertz continues to accelerate the drive toward sustainability and our partnership with Uber significantly advances that goal.

“By making EVs available to ride-share drivers, we will not only contribute to reducing emissions in European cities but also expand opportunities for people to experience the benefits of electrification.

“As Hertz invests to create one of the largest EV fleets globally, our Uber partnership will ensure that we continue to lead in the rapidly changing mobility landscape across Europe.”

Uber aims to be emissions-free in London by 2025, and by 2030 across mainland Europe and North America as a whole.

Dara Khosrowshahi, Uber chief executive officer, said: “As the largest mobility platform in the world, we know that our impact goes beyond our technology. Climate change is the most urgent global challenge which we must all tackle together – now is the time to accelerate.

“Expanding our partnership with Hertz into Europe will significantly boost our transition to zero-emissions, helping drivers reduce running costs and cleaning up urban transport. We aim to become a 100 per cent electric platform across Europe by 2030.”