January 22, 2026

Traffic-Jammed


Traffic-Jammed
Vroom vroom? GTSpirit

Russian drivers of luxury vehicles have been stranded after a wave of electronic blocking immobilized their vehicles. The sudden failure of hundreds of cars has primarily affected Porsche and BMW models.

The unexpected problems are due to a factory setting installed to prevent the theft of high-end cars. The satellite-based system tracks the car’s movements, while other internal systems can detect unusual conditions. If anything is amiss, the vehicle will not start.​

Widespread issues with the anti-theft components are rare, and an investigation into what triggered the issue for Russian-registered cars was launched. However, this is not the first time that drivers in Russia have experienced their cars unexpectedly shutting down.

In late November and early December, 2025, the first wave of engine shutdowns occurred, with the second taking place in early January. Porsche models locked up, sparking speculation that it had been done deliberately, as a retaliatory act.

In reality, it seems to be anti-drone electronic warfare equipment causing the interference. The anti-theft systems are unintentionally triggered by the anti-drone technologies, causing the satellite-based systems to jam. As a result, the engine and other critical functions are disrupted, even when the car is in motion.

It's not just the newest models that were affected by the latest outage; vehicles from 2013-2019 all experienced the issue. After Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine, Porsche suspended its operations and stopped delivering to Russia, which has slowed the import of newer models. Independent service centers and auto clubs remain, testing ways to work around the remote engine shutoffs.

Such incidents can be costly and inconvenient for drivers. After stalling in the middle of the road, the vehicles need to be towed and receive software updates. One Porsche Macan owner paid around R60,000 ($769) to have his car towed and serviced.

For Russian luxury car owners, advanced anti-theft technology has become a disruptive reality rather than a safeguard due to wartime interferences.

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