Nissan is introducing a Stolen Vehicle Tracking function for UK customers to provide added peace of mind on key models.

The new subscription service provides added peace of mind and is available for key models

Introduced as latest figures show rising vehicle theft across the UK, the subscription service is provided in collaboration with Vodafone Automotive and can track stolen vehicles and coordinate recovery. It’s also able to immobilise vehicles in certain cases to enable their return.

The Stolen Vehicle Tracking function is available on the Ariya, Qashqai models produced from June 2022 and X-Trails made since September 2022.

The service can be activated via the Nissan Store section of the brand’s Connect Services app for applicable vehicles and costs £99 for 12 months of enhanced security.

Owners will get instant notifications if the vehicle is towed without their knowledge. Drivers also benefit from cross-border support in Europe, drawing on a network of call centre operators and law enforcement authorities to support recovery.

Vodafone Automotive operators will also be able to help in scenarios where law enforcement authorities ask for the vehicle to be immobilised to support recovery.

Guillaume Pelletreau, vice president, electrification and connected services, Nissan AMIEO region, said: “The addition of Stolen Vehicle Tracking brings an additional level of peace of mind for our customers. They can use their cars fully and park it either at home, or in less familiar locations, confident that in the case that their Nissan is removed without their permission, they will be able to use their NissanConnect Services app to help the police identify its whereabouts and recover it.”

Newly published figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) reveal vehicle theft has soared 8% in the last year, fuelled by a rise in organised gangs, high used car prices and a “low risk of capture”.

Specialist motor insurance loss adjuster Claims Management & Adjusting (CMA) has said the rise is “shockingly unsurprising” and warned that theft numbers have got substantially worse in the last decade, as organised criminals use sophisticated new ways to steal cars. It’s called for urgent government action to tackle the organised gangs.

But the AA has warned drivers that they also need play a part in tackling vehicle theft, including using the latest high-tech solutions as well as more traditional, visible deterrents such as steering wheel locks to deter thieves.