A key cover protects your car key from scratches, drops and the wear it picks up in pockets and bags every day. It won't stop keyless car theft. It doesn't block the key's radio signal, and our covers aren't designed to. Theft protection needs something else, and the two work well together.
How thieves get round keyless entry
Keyless entry unlocks the car when the key is close by, and relay thieves exploit exactly that. One of them stands near your house with a signal amplifier and picks up the signal from the key lying inside. An accomplice waits by the car and receives the boosted signal. The car thinks the key is right next to it, so the door opens and the engine starts, even though the key never left the house.
The German motoring club ADAC has confirmed the weakness in repeated tests. In a 2025 test, only around ten per cent of more than 700 vehicles held up against the method. So this isn't a problem for a handful of cars; it affects most current keyless models.
What actually stops a relay attack
ADAC recommends a Faraday pouch or box, a container lined with shielding foil that blocks the key's signal completely while the key is inside. Make a habit of dropping the key in whenever you get home.
Keeping the key well away from outside walls and the front door also helps, because it cuts the range an attacker has to work with. It won't rule an attack out, though, as modern amplifiers can bridge longer distances. The safest option, if the least convenient, is switching keyless entry off on the car itself, where your car has that setting.
Some manufacturers now fit a motion sensor in the key that cuts the signal once the key has been still for a while. On Mercedes-Benz keys that happens after around two minutes. It makes a thief's job harder but doesn't replace a Faraday pouch. While the key is moving, or has only just been put down, it's still transmitting, and that window is enough for an attack. Whether your key has a sensor depends on the make and model year, so check the handbook or ask your dealer.
What a key cover is for
Car keys get dropped on tarmac, scratched in bags and discoloured by the sun. None of that has anything to do with radio signals. It's plain wear and tear, and it's what a well-fitting cover prevents. Our covers for VW Golf, BMW, Ford and Audi keys come in silicone, genuine leather, faux leather and clear versions. They aren't made to shield radio signals, and we don't sell them as if they were.
You can use both. The cover stays on the key day to day, and the key goes into the Faraday pouch when you put it down at home.
When you pick a cover, fit matters most. Button layouts vary between model years and trim levels, so check exactly which key you have before you order. Silicone is grippy and cushions drops well. Genuine leather looks smarter but shows wear sooner if it gets heavy use. A clear cover shows off the key's original design, though it absorbs knocks slightly less well than a solid silicone or leather one.
