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Microdot Standard (SANS 534-1) Launched After a recent controlled test proving the resilience of the microdot technology through a once-off, live explosion of a microdotted vehicle, Business Against Crime South Africa (BACSA) in conjunction with key partners including the South African Police Service (SAPS), the Department of Transport (DoT), the South African Bureau of Standards (SABS), the Vehicle Security Association (VESA), Nissan South Africa (Nissan SA), and four Microdot suppliers in South Africa (Datadot, Holomatrix, Impimpi and Recoveri) have launched today the Standard (SANS 534-1) for the use and application of the Microdot technology in the country. Dr Graham Wright, BACSA Deputy CEO and Head of the Violent Organised Crime (VOC) workgroup, highlights the benefits of the microdot technology as an effective ingredient within a concerted strategy to reverse the unacceptably high level of vehicle theft and hijacking in the country, identify and recover stolen vehicles and parts, and close down the markets for stolen vehicles and parts. He says, "BACSA recognised the value of the microdot technology early on after analysing a number of existent technologies which could be brought to bear in the fight against crime. It was for this reason, that BACSA approached key partners including the SABS to assist with the writing of the Microdot Standard. The formulation of the Standard allows for this technology to be formally referred to in legislation and tender documents and as such is setting the groundwork for a changed legislative environment which can promote compliance to a reliable Standard. Currently, the Standard and compliance to the Standard is voluntary, but given its merits, we believe that the arguments for a fuller take-up of this technology are compelling," says Wright. "Indeed, the microdot technology has all the hallmarks of being an effective solution. It can be applied at relatively low-cost, while making the most of its high-tech nature. A standard microdot fitment of the technology on a vehicle relies on the application of approximately 10,000 polyester or metal dots on the vehicle. Each dot, will contain through a laser-etching process, the Vehicle's Identification Number (VIN) or a vehicle PIN (Personal Identification Number). Once applied to a vehicle and its parts, these lines of information contained within each microdot, not visible to the naked eye, function as the vehicle's DNA. A criminal wanting to tamper with the identity of a vehicle and its parts must literally find all 10,000 dots. The fact that this is a virtual impossibility makes the use and application of the microdot technology an important safeguard against fraudulent and illegal activities which seek to profit from vehicle crime and theft. The permanent nature of the dots, as exemplified by the recent test explosion of a microdotted vehicle, means that any attempt to remove or damage the dots themselves will destroy the value of the vehicle or its parts. This diminished value in turn deters vehicle crime by stopping short the profits that criminals would otherwise bank on," says Wright. "If applied as part of the Original Equipment Manufacturers (OEM) process, the technology can be applied to as many as 88 strategic parts on a vehicle within four minutes (three if applied through robotics) at an extremely low cost. Police conducting a forensic investigation to identify or recover stolen vehicles or parts need only rely on a low-tech microdot viewer/reader to find microdots which will secure and confirm the identity of the vehicle or parts. As opposed to the criminals, the police need only identify one dot and verify this against existing databases and the traditional markings on a vehicle including the engine and chassis numbers," says Wright. Andre Barkhuizen, Senior Superintendent within the SAPS Detective Service: Vehicle Crime Investigative Support, confirmed the value of the technology in fighting crime from the perspective of law enforcement. "In South Africa, with approximately 90,000 vehicles stolen a year with a value of more than R 9 billion, the markets for stolen vehicles and parts have been robust and a persistent crime-fighting challenge. The markets for stolen vehicles to-date have been aided by weak systems within our law enforcement agencies and licensing departments to identify and recover these stolen vehicles and parts. The relative ease with which a vehicle's identity or its parts may be changed, concealed or cloned through the overlay of a false identity with concomitant documentation compounds the situation. However, this scenario is now changing. The Microdot Standards (SANS 534-1) and a positive trend in the take up of the microdot technology with its proven, tamper-proof resilience represents in our view a breakthrough in the fight against crime and, in particular, the fight against the illicit trade in stolen vehicles and parts," says Wright. Fouché Burgers, BACSA Project Manager and Chairperson of the Standard writing Committee outlines that the Standards – SANS 534-1 (otherwise known in full as: Vehicle Security – Whole of Vehicle Marking Part 1: Microdot Systems) specify the characteristics of the technology and requirements which include the application of the unique identification carriers (i.e., the microdots), the processes required to ensure the integrity, authenticity and confidentiality of the microdot production, supply, storage and application system. The Standard also defines the minimum performance requirements of the adhesive used to affix the microdots to vehicles and prescribes the requirements for the after-market installation of the microdots on vehicles, including surface preparation. The Standard also makes recommendations regarding the security of the information systems or databases that link information regarding the vehicle to the microdot data," says Burgers. "Given that legal compliance becomes very much the only option for a microdotted vehicle, a broader take-up of the technology by manufacturers, consumers, insurance companies and others has the potential to make the country's licensing systems, vehicle crime strategy and investigations and handling of road accidents that more effective. Each year, more than 12, 000 recovered but unidentified vehicles, worth more than R1 billion, are annually destroyed by the SAPS. These vehicles could have been returned to the legal owners if they had been microdotted. A study done by BACSA on a number of fully microdotted models found that the recovery rate for the microdotted models was 91% against a rate of only 52% of non-microdotted models within the same class. This underscores the usefulness of the technology as an important ingredient in a winning formula against crime," says Burgers. At today's event, BACSA recognised both Nissan SA and AVIS for their pioneering leadership in adopting the technology and applying it to all their vehicles and awarded compliance certificates to the four microdot suppliers who have met the minimum standards outlined in the Standard. Nissan SA's General Manager: Corporate Risk, Ronald Barrie, accepted the award today saying that it was honoured to have been singled out for the commendation. Barry highlighted that Nissan SA had taken up the technology in 2006 because the company felt that it was its moral duty to investigate means that would have a significant impact on reducing vehicle theft and hijackings in the country. Nigel Meszar, Avis: National Technical Manager, on receiving today's award said, "We value being awarded for working with and pioneering the introduction of this technology, but our reward comes in the form of the great work that the technology is doing to reduce vehicle theft and assist the police to investigate chop shop crime syndicates, in particular, which plague the industry. What we at Avis really appreciate is the momentum, growth and take-up of this technology. We are very certain that when this take-up reaches critical mass, it will be a highly effective vehicle to combat crime. To get there, we urge every manufacturer and importer to fit microdot technology to their vehicles as part of the vehicle sale and not as an add-on. Thanks for the effort, we will continue to support this technology going forward." Laetitia Botma, Director: Enforcement Regulation within the Department of Transport, has welcomed the launch and release of the Standard as a world first saying that this places South Africa very much at the cutting edge of developments in this area. Botma announced that the Department regarded the use of the microdot technology as an effective strategic response to fraud and corruption and would treat it as such in the Road to Safety Strategy. Botma highlighted that a consultative process to have the concept included in legislation would be begun. She said, "We are confident that this outstanding system will be an invaluable addition to the array of techniques used to combat vehicle crime in this country and look forward to reaping the benefits of its introduction in the very near future." Louise Taljaard, General Manager of the Vehicle Security Association of South Africa (VESA) pledged to play a more vital role in the fight against vehicle crime and, with its expertise in the area of vehicle security devices, to continue to support the release of quality products and services to the market. "VESA looks forward to stand together with those who make a positive difference to our society," said Taljaard. Len van Driel from the SABS highlighted the stringent processes involved in developing the Standard and the testing requirements which guarantee its resilience.
At today's event, the following stakeholders have been recognised during the launching of the Standard today:
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