WESTWOOD, Mass. – LoJack Corp.’s latest Stolen Vehicle Recovery System does not draw power from a vehicle’s battery or electrical system, making it better suited for more modern vehicles, such as hybrids and electric cars. With the growing number of features and devices installed and used in today’s vehicles, there is an increasing need to reduce the draw on a vehicle’s battery to enable maximum vehicle performance and efficiency.

President Barack Obama has called for a million plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles to be on U.S. roadways by 2015 and this system delivers an energy-efficient theft recovery solution for these types of vehicles.

"As we looked to the future of the automotive market and held discussions with OEMs and our international licensees, it was clear that there was a need for a new generation of aftermarket products that are self-powered and optimized for newer vehicles,” said Ronald V. Waters, LoJack’s president and CEO. “As we continue to diversify our business, the new power management protocol will have beneficial applications in future versions of all LoJack products.”

More than one-third of all vehicle breakdowns are due to electrical failures caused by too much dependence on the battery. GPS-based aftermarket products draw power from a vehicle’s electrical system; but LoJack’s system provides efficiencies in the installation process and increases the number of locations inside the vehicle where the unit may be hidden. This ability is especially critical for the company’s licensees in markets where the theft problem is particularly severe.

The next generation Stolen Vehicle Recovery System will be available for distribution through the company’s international licensees in the fourth quarter of this year and rolled out in the United States beginning in the first quarter of 2010.