Ducato owners to get text alert if van is broken into

The new Fiat Ducato and all-electric E-Ducato will send a text to the vehicle owner if a thief is trying to break into their van.

With recent figures from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) revealing 92,929 vehicles are stolen in England and Wales every year – that’s 255 a day and nearly two every 12 minutes – the new feature will give owners added peace of mind.

Fiat Professional’s Theft Assistance detects when someone is trying to break into a vehicle, tow it without authorisation or disconnect the battery. If any of these are detected, the owner receives assistance from a ‘my:Assistant’ operator.

Customers also have the option of receiving an email, a push notification in the Mopar® connected mobile app or phone call.

Having reported the theft, the operator will provide the GPS coordinates and will immobilise the engine when the vehicle stops to facilitate recovery.

Much like the ‘Find My Phone’ feature available on most smartphones, a vehicle tracking function will be triggered and the vehicle’s ignition locked.

Richard Chamberlain, managing director of Fiat Professional said: “Knowing a vehicle is stolen roughly every 10 minutes in England and Wales is a cause for concern and an experience that owners will be looking to avoid at all costs.

“The innovative theft assistance technology will undoubtedly give both current and future owners of the Ducato and E-Ducato peace of mind that their van and possessions are in the safest possible hands.”