Solution brief · 2026 · Automotive — dealerships & shops
Lot coverage that alerts at the fence — not only at the glass
New and used dealerships, independent lots, and mechanic shops — inventory outside, and overnight drop-offs that are not a lockbox on the wall.

The problem
A showroom can have excellent cameras on the building and still miss the person who hopped the fence five minutes earlier. Inventory sits outside. Building-only coverage means you often learn about a theft when the sales desk opens — not when the intrusion starts.
Used lots and open inventory rows are frequent converter targets. Mechanic shops hold customer cars overnight — and too many still hang a metal lockbox on the wall for after-hours keys. Those boxes get pried or ripped off. Nobody saw who took them.
Typical sites
- New-car franchise dealerships
- Used-car and independent lots
- Multi-building showroom + service campuses
- Independent mechanic and body shops
- Overnight key drop-offs and transporter gates
What we design for
- 01
Perimeter before the door
Line-cross and person/vehicle alerts on fence lines and approaches so staff see a breach when it starts — the minutes that matter for police and recovery.
- 02
Lot depth and poles
Cameras where the cars sit, not only on the façade. Site links — 60 GHz between buildings when LOS is clean, 6 GHz to front-lot poles when the inventory field is longer.
- 03
Overnight intercom drop-off
Customer calls the G3 Intercom or Reader Pro; owner sees and talks on the app or Intercom Viewer; release opens a secured drop or vestibule; keys go in under video. Replaces the traditional lockbox that can be ripped off the wall.
- 04
Gates and known vehicles
Gate Hub with intercom or Reader Pro for unknowns; plate unlock and Mobile Unlock for staff and transporters.
- 05
Shops and bays
Bay cameras for insurance and disputes, lot coverage for overnight customer cars, plus the supervised drop-off path above.
Why it pays back
One unit vs the system
A single mid-line vehicle driven off an unsupervised lot can exceed a properly designed lot camera and radio package — before deductibles and downtime.
Converter economics
NICB tracked converter claims peaking near 65,000 in 2022; dealership replacement often runs about $2,300 per unit. Open used lots with trucks and SUVs are frequent targets.
Faster reporting, better recovery
NICB has reported roughly a third of recovered passenger vehicles found the same day when theft is reported quickly — lot alerts make “quick” possible.
Keys that stay keys
A supervised intercom drop creates a video record of who arrived and when — instead of hoping a wall lockbox is still there in the morning.
What you leave with
- Lot and perimeter coverage notes on a site plan
- Radio recommendation (cnWave vs ePMP) per path
- Orderable camera, hub, and intercom part list
- Overnight drop-off call routing and release notes when in scope
Buy the list. Install your way.
Order from the distributors you already use. Install with your facilities team, electrician, or preferred integrator. Full Support stays through commissioning.
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