I can't wait to go mountain driving.

Ethan | Northglenn, CO

ETHAN, WE Love MOUNTAIN DRIVES, TOO.

That’s why we’re developing advanced vehicle systems to help prevent theft so you can keep exploring our beautiful state.

Campus Location

Denver

Professor Liang He overhead view of car engine and anti-theft tech

CU Denver Professor Finds Solution to Car Theft  

Auto theft spikes during the holidays, and Denver is one of the hardest-hit cities in the United States. Thieves now use tech to hijack key fobs and unlock cars in minutes with just a phone and Wi-Fi.

CU Denver Engineering Professor Liang He is fighting back with the same tech thieves use.

"What once seemed like something out of a movie is now happening all the time," he says. "We saw an opportunity to use batteries to stop these hacks."

With his students and support from the University of Michigan, He developed the Battery Sleuth—a small, National Science Foundation-funded device that uses your car’s electrical system to generate a unique, low-voltage signal only you can activate. Without it, the car won’t start.

Battery Sleuth also defends against break-ins by triggering an alarm or shutting down the vehicle’s power before a thief can drive away.

Inspired by years of research into battery efficiency, He's team aims to expand this technology to secure not just cars but also smartphones and satellites.