Locking chip

A locking chip is the Transformer component which implements stasis lock, a form of protective shutdown.

Without a locking chip, damage a Transformer can normally survive will instead kill them outright. It can only be safely installed or removed when a Transformer is in repair mode.

Un-formatted protoforms do not have locking chips, this function is performed by the stasis pod's locking chip.

Beast Wars cartoon
Airazor's locking ship was destroyed when her stasis pod crashed. Rhinox removed Cheetor's as a temporary replacement.