A security system to locate, challenge and stop drivers of stolen vehicles has been launched in Sussex.

Hove-based Immotrac has developed in-car technologies, also called Immotrac and Immotrac Fleet, which link vehicles to a security monitoring office.

Glyn Jones, sales and marketing manager, said: "We wanted to be able to reduce vehicle crime and we have designed each feature of the system with this aim in mind.

"There have been tracking systems in place for some time but this has combined existing ideas with new technology to produce an unprecedented crime prevention solution."

The system makes use of GSM (global system for mobile communication) technology and the satellite GPS (global positioning system) to track and interact with vehicles.

Mr Jones said: "Two-way communication is built into the vehicles and staff at the monitoring centre can speak to drivers, requesting passwords and making unauthorised users aware of the level of security they are facing.

"If all else fails, the car can be immobilised remotely at the touch of a button by cutting the electrics. This is only done when the driver has switched off the ignition, so there is no danger to road users.

"The thief may think they have got away with the crime but the car will be undrivable until reactivated.

"The system's positioning technology and mapping software lets us know exactly where it has been stopped, anywhere in Europe to within a few feet, so it can be retrieved quickly."

The system also photographs unauthorised drivers, so even those who abandon a car can be tracked using more conventional methods.

Mr Jones said: "A digital camera is installed in the vehicles to take a series of snapshots of drivers during an attempted theft.

"These are transmitted back to the monitoring centre for secure storage and can be handed over to the police. The cameras can also be used to secure goods, for example by taking a picture out of the back of a delivery van every time the door is opened. If an unauthorised person is removing property the theft will be recorded."

The system is fitted into an unobtrusive on-board black box.

Immotrac was set up last year at the Sussex Innovation Centre at the University of Sussex and moved to Hove Technology Centre in November.

It has negotiated a deal, announced yesterday, with a division of national security company Chubb, who will introduce the system to monitor fleets they work with across the nation.

www.immotrac.com