Midland automotive technology firm RDM has clinched a deal to supply its car tracking and security system line-side for Land Rover and Jaguar in an agreement which could be worth more than £10 million.

Jaguar's new Birmingham-built XK sports car will be the first vehicle to have the Auto-txt device fitted in the factory as standard.

Other vehicles built by Jaguar and its sister company Land Rover are also set to have the device installed from January.

RDM, which is based in Coventry, has been sold around 1,000 Auto-txt systems to the after-market since May.

But the new development, which last for at least three years and could be worth in excess of £10 million, marks a "quantum leap" for RDM.

The Auto-txt product provides the technology behind the new Jaguar Watch and Land Rover Watch systems, which will be available both in the UK and throughout the rest of Europe.

The 450g device is a black box which is buried in the infrastructure of the car and was the first stolen vehicle protection and tracking system to have been awarded Category 5 accreditation by Thatch-am, the motor industry research centre.

Key features of Category 5 include a way of identifying the driver in addition to possession of car keys and the means to disable a vehicle that has been stolen, remotely from a central control centre

Brian Lomas, product planner, vehicle personal-isation for Jaguar Cars and Land-Rover said: "We carried out a rigorous tendering process and Auto-txt was head and shoulders above the competition.

"Not only does the Auto-txt product provide an innovative solution for vehicle tracking and security, it also exceeds the new UK industry standard for stolen vehicle tracking systems which is called Category 5 and similar standards in Europe.

"In addition, Auto-txt offers great potential for further services and future development."

Inspector Jim Hammond of the Association of Chief Police Officers said: "Category 5 is now the only stolen vehicle theft standard that is both supported by the insurance industry and conforms to police policy."

Chris Cole, Engineering Director of RDM said: "This is the first time that a leading automotive manufacturer has put its brand behind a pan-European stolen vehicle security system.

"It represents a sound endorsement of our product which will continue to evolve and set the standard for stolen vehicle security for years to come."

RDM, which employs 35 people, is currently in discussions with other car makers to have its technology installed in factories.

David Keene, managing director at RDM, said: "At first we are concentrating on the security features of the device, but additional aspects can be added. This is definitely the biggest thing we have ever done." ..SUPL: