Anti-theft tech

When i was visiting another country, i got into my host family's car and in order for him to start the car, he had a number he had to type into a decice that resembled the keyless entry pad on many ford vehicles. Is that available here, if so, what is it called and if it has a website, what is it? If you dont understand what I mean, let me know and i'll try to give you more insight.