Thatcham Approved Alarms – What they mean for your Insurance

Thatcham Research is the motor insurers' automotive research centre. It was founded in 1969 with the intention of minimising the cost of insurance claims whilst still preserving road safety standards. Thatcham Research is currently Britain's only 'not for profit' research centre funded by the leading motor insurance companies. The majority of Thatcham's work is funded by their thirty plus insurer members. Based on the outskirts of Newbury, Berkshire the establishment has over 180 staff and enjoys the prestige of having a worldwide reputation in the insurance and automotive sectors.


This reputation helps enforce the Thatcham Quality Assured trademark which is universally seen as a guarantor of reliability. It's this noted expertise and eminence for quality that places the centre in the ideal position to carry out independent product certification on a wide range of vehicle related products. This stamp of approval applies to Thatcham's automotive security testing program.


Thatcham Research brings to mind an instant association with vehicle security for plenty of people, with the reason being the contribution they had to the reduction of car crime since the mid 90's. In 1992 Thatcham allocated a portion of their resources to establishing a dedicated vehicle security team. The goal was to ebb the growing tide of car crime which was seriously effecting the insurance industry. The annual incidences of vehicle theft peaked at 650,000 in this period, today they are less then 100,000 case per year. Many administrations helped reduce this figure, the police, the government and vehicle manufacturers all included but Thatcham's commitment to improving standards was undoubtedly pivotal.

Their testing procedures, which are reputed to be the most stringent in the world, extend to not only factory fit installations but aftermarket too.  These procedures include subjecting every new vehicle to a New Vehicle Security Assessment (NVSA). This assessment's results are passed to the insurance group rating panel where, dependant on performance, they can affect a vehicle's grouping by up to 2 groups.

The aftermarket testing team also accredit either Category 1 or Category 2 status to car alarms and immobilisers.  A Category 2 (Cat 2) specifies a car immobiliser and Category 1 (Cat 1) means a car alarm with an immobiliser incorporated.  Looking for this accreditation is crucial as the majority of insurance firms will insist on your car being fitted with either Cat 1 or 2 in order to issue a policy covering car theft.
In addition to this your security device must be fitted by and authorised installer who will provide the vehicle owner with a certificate embossed with their unique accreditation number and details. 

In 2010 Thatcham launched a database to collect and store information of all aftermarket installed security systems including who installed them. This database can easily be accessed by all major insurance companies and helps provide an efficient system free from fraud.

So if you need to insure your vehicle from theft you need a Thatcham approved alarm and you need it installed by an accredited professional, lucky we can provide you with both. So visit us today and we'll help you reduce your insurance premiums and increase your vehicles security.

Why Choose Cruise Control For Your Car?

Relax it's time to cruise...

Cruise control may seem completely alien to the uninitiated and perhaps even a little daunting but fear not it could be your new driving ally. At first the feeling of taking your foot off the accelerator and the car not slowing down can be a little frightening. The slight feeling of loss of control will soon disappear when you realise the benefits cruise control will bring.

Our E-Cruise system is 100% digital and requires no mechanical installation, unlike traditional cruise control. The fully integrated CAN-bus cruise control system digitally controls acceleration through the engine management system rather than through physical manipulation of the throttle. Quick and easy to install, it is controlled by the driver from a stalk mounted on the steering column. This makes using it simple too.

Simple to use

With only four main controls ('Set', 'Cancel', 'Resume' and 'On/Off') It couldn't be simpler. To start the cruise control just accelerate to the desired speed for example 70mph and press set. You can turn the cruise control option off by either pressing the 'Cancel' or 'On/Off' button. Alternatively the clutch or brake pedal can be pressed down. After this the previous speed and cruise control function can be recommenced by pressing 'Resume'. 

  So it's simple to fit and simple to use but what benefits does it bring?

Well first of all it can make long journeys on the motorway more enjoyable. The comfort of not have your right foot in a fixed position for a prolonged period of time is plainly evident. With cruise control taking care of that you just relax and focus on the road ahead and any steering. If you need to slow down or stop then simply use the brakes as normal. Then when the danger subsidies simple resume with cruise control. 

Secondly, and this is a biggie, it can help improve your fuel consumption. With fuel costs continuously on the rise this extra assistance is becoming essential. Cruising at a steady speed is the most efficient way to drive. With most drivers being somewhat capricious in regards to speed maintenance cruise control could save a lot of money for a lot of motorists. Instead of slowly creeping up and drifting down through the speeds, or worse still aggressively speeding up and then heavily braking, cruise control keeps your speed consistent. Which brings us nicely to our next advantage.

Stay safe don't speed

Those drivers who happen to be a bit lead footed shall we say, can have a new best friend in cruise control. The feature can help you stay within the speed limits and avoid tickets and points on your license. It also helps improve road safety for everyone. When the speed limits change you can conveniently adjust your speed accordingly. It can also help form more conscientious driving habits. By using cruise control any aggressive driving tendencies can be restrained. 

So with all these benefits to be had and for such little cost the smart choice for you and your motor is cruise control. The smart choice for cruise control is our E-Cruise system. So simple to buy, install and use it's a must for the sagacious driver, visit us today by clicking here to purchase yours

Don't Be A Victim

Don't be a victim

Don't Be A Victim

The UK accounts for around one third of the 2,700 vehicles that are stolen each day in Europe. More than half of these vehicles are never found. What's worse is 85% of all new cars are stolen using the owners keys!

What's The Cost to You?

• Loss of your no claims bonus
• Outstanding finance still to pay
• Increased insurance premiums 
• Long lead time for some new cars
• Lower than expected insurance payouts 
• Substantial car hire cost

Not to mention the emotional and psychological distress caused by the feeling of vulnerability, knowing the thief has gotten away. Don't let them win!

What's The Solution?

Unprecedented service from the market leader

Cobra Trak 5 and this is how it works;

• A sophisticated 'black box' is fitted to car 
• Cobra instantly detects your car has been stolen
• If theft is detected a silent alarm is sent to Cobra
• Cobra automatically tracks your car via Global Positioning Satellite (GPS)
• With dedicated monitoring centres and established police procedures in 36 European countries Cobra offers unprecedented levels of fully integrated services to customers
• There's no language barriers, we liaise directly with the local police to get you car back quickly
• Automatic driver recognition which recognises you as the authorised driver with Cobra Trak 5 by detecting your unique ADR card
• Cobra Trak 5 will shut off the engine when the thief stops

  

  ADR card stops thieves even when they have your keys

Why is it The Best?

Cobra Trak 5 is Thatcham cat 5 accredited which is recognised by major insurers. This comprehensive security solution is used and endorsed by these leading manufacturers; Alfa Romeo, Audi, Bentley, Bugatti, Ferrari, Hummer, Lamborghini, Maserati, Mitsubishi, Nissan, Porsche, Renault and Volkswagen.



So don't delay visit CobraCarTech.co.uk today and be secure 

Vizualogic Packs a Punch! Carl Froch's Cobra DVD Headrest Set

World Champion Boxer Carl Froch (nicknamed The Cobra), the current IBF super-middleweight champion, and former two-time WBC super-middleweight champion has had a dual headrest Vizualogic in-car entertainment system fitted to his Range Rover.
Carl approached Cobra, the UK distributors of Vizualogic products, after doing his homework to find the best system on the market for his car.

"With my son on board it's important to offer him some entertainment in the car as he can get bored easily! By having the Vizualogic system fitted he can watch films, listen to music or play games making any journey fly by! The cordless headphones are a nice touch and the 7" screen in the back of the front seat headrests provide a good clear picture whatever mode you are using the system in," says Carl. "If he has a friend in the back with him they can watch the same DVD across both screens or they can both watch something different! I also believe it will help make the car worth more when I come to sell it because of the top level quality of the Vizualogic system, particularly the brilliant leather colour and texture match of the headrests," he says.

Vizualogic offers drivers the widest range of in-car entertainment systems for prestige vehicles, including cars where replacement headrest or roof mount systems are not an option such as those with sport seats, panoramic roofs and for convertibles.

The range includes a front seat headrest DVD system, an active headrest DVD system, a unique centre console mounted DVD system and three roof mount DVD systems. Each one offers exceptional screen quality and with a range of over 900 PerfectMatch leather headrests, every installation boasts a factory fit appearance. Vizualogic products are used by leading manufacturers around the world including Ford, General Motors, Infiniti, Kia, Nissan and Suzuki and are also now available for the full Range Rover range, including the new Evoque.

The flexibility of the PerfectMatch system also allows drivers to develop their own bespoke solution for their car, whether the vehicle is new or pre-owned. Screen sizes range from 7" to 11.6", with each one featuring its own high quality integral DVD player. In addition, the Vizualogic headrest systems allow rear seat passengers to watch two different films at the same time, or to play the same game on both screens. All DVD systems are supplied complete with foldable wireless headphones, up to 300 games, a game controller, USB slot, SD Card reader and two auxiliary inputs. Passengers can play music, videos and view photographs from their own mobile devices using the SD card reader, USB or auxiliary input.

Each system comes complete with a two year standard parts warranty and is available from our website www.CobraCarTech.co.uk - DVD headrests