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NEW DELHI: In a move to put a check on vehicle thefts, the government will soon notify a new standard for automobile industry to use a technology which involves spraying thousands of small dots laser etched with a vehicle identification number throughout the vehicle body, including their engines. The technology named MicroDots makes it almost impossible to remove the dots and hence, the car’s identity can be established at any stage.

The government has held consultations among experts to introduce this technology, which automobile manufacturers can use. The government’s highest automobile technical standard making body, CMVR-TSC, will finalise the norm in the next one or two months, a transport ministry official said. The ministry has asked the experts to involve Delhi Police officials while framing the standards.

Annually about 2.14 lakh vehicles are stolen across the country with Delhi topping the list at 38,644 in 2016, which translates to over 100 vehicles daily, followed by UP (34,480) and Maharashstra (22,435).

According to the latest Delhi Police report, last year about 41,000 vehicles were stolen while the rate of recovery was around 30 vehicles a month.

Most of the vehicles stolen go untraced since auto-lifters take out the engines and other valuable parts before destroying the vehicles. “Since almost all parts of the body inscribes the vehicle identification number or chassis number, it becomes impossible to change the identity of the stolen vehicles. Hence, the chances of recovery increase manifold,” said a CMVR-TSC member.

According to the minutes of the CMVR-TSC meeting in May, a draft standard has been formulated based on South Africa standard of MicroDot systems. “Chairman advised that the standard would be in the form of guidance standard at present,” the minutes said.

Officials said once the technology stabilises and there is greater demand, the industry would adopt this as a norm. The transport ministry will host the new standard on its website to get feedback from auto makers and consumers before notifying the new norm.

