Auto Dealers at Risk? Prioritize Security Now as Tariff Uncertainty Looms
As tariffs threaten rising auto prices, dealerships must harden their security. Pro-Vigil’s AI-powered, proactive RVM solutions can help.
February 26, 2025
Don’t let your automotive dealership fall victim to criminal behavior. Dealerships not being actively monitored are at risk of theft and vandalism. A lack of car dealership security may mean a lack of profitability. Auto dealership security systems, paired with remote video monitoring, can foil:
From immature teens to hotwiring attempts, hooligans cause damage
Millions of dollars in inventory left on an open lot creates risk
Property damage, stolen inventory, and stolen parts are costly
Protect your property after hours without sacrificing customer experience
Get swift 911 dispatch without triggering false alarms
Scare away trespassers before crime happens, with audio and visual deterrents
High sales volume drives profitability—but only if you have inventory to sell. In 2024, thieves stole $1.2M in vehicles and 330 keys from an Alabama dealership. Video surveillance for auto dealerships is a small investment compared to the massive costs of theft and property damage.
Concerned about cost?
Keep everyone honest with footage that fully documents anything that happens on the property. This technology gives dealerships the tools they need to fight false claims in the service bay and any accidents that may happen on the lot. The footage below captured an incident on one of our customer’s lots which protected them from damage costs.
Catalytic converters can be removed in two minutes or less with only a wrench. Then metal recycle centers buy them for up to $200 per converter! Although the trend has slowed, catalytic converter theft remains high, with 27,609 stolen in 2023 compared to just 1,298 in 2019. In fact, thieves stole 34 catalytic converters at a single Austin, TX dealership in 2022!
When it comes to auto dealership security systems, perimeter security like fences can help. However, it won’t be enough to assure that your vehicles and property are truly protected. A full suite of security cameras and remote video monitoring are part of comprehensive car lot security solutions which will cover your entire lot.
Imagine the power of combining AI video surveillance and real humans who can identify suspicious activity.
We see less instances of vandalism with our inventory on the lot… I would recommend their services to a dealer who is in a high volume area like we are and has a high volume of vandalism but doesn’t want their lot to look like a fortress.
Melissa Vendelie, General Manager, Auto Group
See why Melissa is so high on Pro-Vigil. Watch the Video »
Our permanent, mobile and remote video monitoring offers solution choices for dealerships to fill in any security gap. Benefits from using a Pro-Vigil solution include:
Determine threat level with advanced software and notify authorities if necessary
Notify intruders with a loud voice warning that they have been spotted and authorities will be contacted
Automatically detects equipment issues, conducts trend analysis, fixes issues where possible, and alerts people when needed
Access remote video monitoring statistics, arming or disarming, and live feeds
View footage quickly based on search terms or keywords
Provide secure access to data and minimize storage limitations
Deploy bright, flashing lights to alarm intruders that they have been spotted
Strengthen the accuracy of your security solution with smart video analysis
Leverage remote personnel to review triggers from AI findings
Pro-Vigil’s remote video monitoring relies on AI video surveillance and machine learning video analysis to detect, deter, and dispatch in unmatched speed.
Remote surveillance flags unusual and unwanted activity with machine learning video analysis
Both audio and visual deterrents are activated after a virtual guard verifies the threat
When needed, 911 authorities are dispatched by your virtual guard
Remote video monitoring can help to identify a threat, verify it, and notify proper authorities if necessary. Choose video surveillance monitoring as complement to your security solution.
Build a physical security program for your dealership with this checklist, including:
Car dealerships face unique security challenges due to their high-value inventory being stored outdoors. While traditional security cameras may provide footage after an incident, auto dealership security solutions need to prevent crime before it happens. Advanced auto video surveillance combines AI technology with live monitoring to deter threats in real time.
And while the majority of the crime wave that coincided with COVID-19 seems to have thankfully reduced, crime still remains highly elevated. It’s more important to defend your auto dealership with live security monitoring than ever before.
Protecting a dealership requires more than just a few car dealership security cameras. An effective system includes multiple layers of security, ensuring that criminals have little opportunity to strike.
From immature teens to hotwiring attempts, hooligans cause damage
Video surveillance for auto dealerships with real-time monitoring allows security professionals to deter intruders with voice-down technology.
Immediate alerts to authorities mean faster response times.
In the past, security cameras were passive tools — recording incidents but doing little to prevent them. Now, AI video surveillance for car dealerships actively monitors for suspicious behavior, differentiating between normal activity and potential threats. This means:
With AI-driven car dealership video monitoring, businesses gain smarter protection without the need for on-site security personnel.
Criminals are less likely to target a dealership when they know they’re being watched. Live video surveillance for car dealerships provides an ongoing security presence, offering benefits such as:
Whether you’re concerned about perimeter security for dealerships or the safety of high-end inventory, a proactive approach is essential. Remote video monitoring for dealerships adds an extra layer of protection that deters criminals before they can act.
For comprehensive car lot security solutions, combining auto dealership security systems with mobile surveillance for car lots ensures your property is protected—day and night.
As tariffs threaten rising auto prices, dealerships must harden their security. Pro-Vigil’s AI-powered, proactive RVM solutions can help.
Typically carried out under the cover of darkness, catalytic converter theft is a sneaky and costly crime. And RVs are much larger then cars, so they can haul more valuable parts.
Alarming 2023 surge in car thefts linked to new tactics and trends. Car lots must ensure top-tier security measures to combat these threats.
Auto video surveillance is a type of security that uses advanced cameras and monitoring technology to protect car dealership inventory. Unlike older car dealership security cameras, modern video surveillance monitoring provides real-time threat detection, alerts, and deterrents to prevent crimes before they occur. With dealership video monitoring, businesses reduce theft, vandalism, and unauthorized access while ensuring their lot remains secure 24/7.
Traditional security cameras simply record footage, whereas video surveillance for auto dealerships offers active monitoring and intervention. With AI, video surveillance for car dealerships is even more impactful. Dealerships benefit from real-time threat detection and automated alerts. Additionally, remote video monitoring allows off-site security teams to intervene immediately using audio-visual warnings and alarm systems, ensuring a more proactive security approach.
While security guards can be effective, they have limitations. They can’t be everywhere at once, and their presence alone may not deter determined criminals. Hiring enough on-site security guards to watch every angle of your dealership at all times would be extremely expensive, too! Dealership video monitoring offers continuous, 24/7 protection with AI-enhanced car lot security solutions that never take a break.
Remote video monitoring for dealerships is:
For dealerships looking for comprehensive security, video surveillance is a smarter investment.
If your lot is storing high-value vehicles, has experienced trespassing or theft, or operates in an area with rising crime rates, you likely need live video surveillance for cars.
Theft prevention for auto dealerships is crucial, and adding monitored car dealership security cameras ensures potential threats are identified before they result in major financial loss.
The cost of auto dealership video surveillance varies depending on the dealership size, the number of cameras, and the level of monitoring required. While pricing is customized to each location, the investment in auto video surveillance is significantly lower than the financial losses from stolen inventory, property damage, and liability claims.
Many businesses find that implementing car lot security solutions pays for itself by preventing just one major theft or vandalism incident.
AI technology transforms video surveillance for auto dealerships by making security systems smarter and more proactive.
With AI integration, dealerships gain more accurate, faster, and more efficient security solutions.
Yes! Mobile surveillance for car lots is an excellent solution for temporary security needs. Whether you're managing overflow inventory, setting up a new dealership location, or hosting a special event, car lot security solutions can be deployed quickly with auto dealership security systems that offer the same advanced monitoring as permanent installations.
With Pro-Vigil’s auto dealership video monitoring, response times are nearly immediate. The moment live video surveillance for cars detects suspicious activity, deterrents such as flashing lights and voice warnings are activated. If the threat continues, security personnel can escalate the situation and alert law enforcement as part of theft prevention for auto dealerships.
Unlike traditional alarm systems, which may take minutes to trigger a response, Pro-Vigil’s surveillance technology can have law enforcement dispatched in as little as 23 seconds.
Absolutely. Clear footage from video surveillance for auto dealerships can protect your business against false claims. Whether a customer disputes damage that occurred on the lot or an accident needs to be verified, car dealership security cameras provide indisputable evidence.
With auto video surveillance, dealerships gain a reliable way to document every incident, reducing liability and protecting their bottom line.
Want some proof? On this very page you can watch footage of an accident we captured at an auto lot in real time, proving that a delivery driver was at fault for a collision.
