Ford's connected cars can now tell you if they're being broken into

Security has become a key feature in car management apps from top automakers like Tesla, GM and Volkswagen. Not to be left behind, Ford is bringing its break-in detection feature to its FordPass smartphone app. The system — rebranded as "SecuriAlert" after launching as "Guard Mode" on commercial vehicles — is rolling out to connected car owners for the first time.

Once activated, the feature sends sends a push notification to your phone if it notices an unwarranted entry, including attempts to open doors or gain access with a key. Ford says the latter is particularly useful in identifying attempts to access a car using a cloned or stolen key. More broadly, it can simply alert you if your car alarm is triggered whether you're in earshot of it or further away.

If SecuriAlert is set off, the FordPass app will show you the time of the activity and reason, along with the vehicle's last known location. Naturally, the system is best placed for when you're away from your car and should be disabled when you return to it.

SecuriAlert is now available as part of FordPass' suite of connected features, a range of which were made free to customers beginning in 2019.