A security product designed to help owners manage machine access and deter equipment theft is now available as either a factory-installed option, or as a dealer-installed kit to retrofit noncurrent machines.
The Machine Security System, from Caterpillar Inc., Peoria, Ill., uses electronic keys. Each key has a unique digital ID but can also be used as a conventional Caterpillar equipment key, which will fit and work with all existing Cat machines. But if the key is used on a machine that has been equipped with the MSS system, only keys programmed into that machine's system will start the equipment.