Newly proposed legislation is aimed at preventing vehicle loss from theft and hijacking. This legislation that would require newly registered vehicles to be marked with microdots might prove to be a deterrent to vehicle thieves in South Africa!
What are these proposed amendments?
Draft Amendment 19 is published in Government Gazette 33979 of 1 February 2011– It deals with SAP clearance documents and the marking of new vehicles after 1 July 2011 with microdots. The amendment is out for comment until 1 March 2011.
What is Data Dot Technology?
Data Dot technology is a passive anti-theft security system which is supported by insurers and is applied as spray film invisible to the eye over the entire vehicle. This technology can be described as a simple and effective theft deterrent system. Based on the reliable identification of key component parts of the vehicle, the vehicle is of reduced value to a professional thief. The thief is only interested in vehicles where they can easily change their identity or strip for parts.
The spray contains millions of dots, each smaller than a grain of sand, which are etched by laser with a unique alpha-numeric code (which can be fully customised). This code can only be read with a special scanner that utilises a strong UV magnifier to read the code.
Also view:
Microdot Technology and Car Insurance