It seems that automobile manufacturers are reluctant to enable remote engine turn-off in cars (to provide theft or car-jacking, for instance), in case the car comes to a stop at a dangerous point, such as railroad tracks.
We can overcome this objection if the police can use the remote option with line of sight contact with the car in question, thus allowing them to use their judgment whether or not it is more dangerous to stop the car than to let it proceed.-- DrCurry, Aug 22 2007 Police call for remote button to stop cars http://observer.gua...903,1111211,00.html [nuclear hobo, Aug 28 2007] DIY Version http://blogs.edmund...raightline/.ee9937a [DrCurry, Aug 28 2007] Now available in On Star http://www.smartpla...ps-carjacking/1722/ [DrCurry, Jan 29 2010] oohn this is the thin end of the wedge, I fear. it'll be traffic wardens having them next or the litter police.
other:general. DC? someone hi-jacked your password?-- po, Aug 22 2007 You surprise me, [DrCurry].-- normzone, Aug 22 2007 This sounds ok to me. Certainly safer than a high speed chase through town. Fox might start to suffer for lack of good video, though. You could always get more animals attacking, I suppose.
The other thing is that one could have remote no-start. Presumably no-one will turn the car off while parked on the railroad tracks. Once you start having cars communicate remotely, universal lojack seems a better option.-- bungston, Aug 22 2007 Sounds like a good feature to include in OnStar.-- RayfordSteele, Aug 22 2007 Product liabity would kill it...-- nihilist13, Aug 22 2007 bungston: that's already Baked into On-Star and similar systems.
po: I started this thing in Car: Security - I'm going to blame the system!
normzone: I surprise myself most days.-- DrCurry, Aug 23 2007 Just put a delay on it and an audible warning "This car will stop in 10 seconds"-- marklar, Aug 23 2007 How about a delay, then a warning "This car is slowing down, pulling over and stopping" then the hazard lights come on and the engine is throttled to drop the speed by one mph per second. At ten mph the wheel is forced to turn slightly toward the right (left in the uk, down in australia) the driver can fight this, but it will get stronger and stronger. When the ALB/Traction Control system detects a surface change under the outside wheel, brakes are applied until the vehicle stops completely.-- Galbinus_Caeli, Aug 23 2007 There's no way a clever hacker, or Half-Baker, won't figure out a way to remotely kill every vehicle on the road equipped with such a device. The opportunity for abuse is astounding. I'd almost bun this for the amusement potential, but won't.-- Noexit, Aug 23 2007 bs: so, the pursuing police car rams a three foot shaft up the butt of the car it is chasing? Thats sounds so, um, not sure how to put this on a family site...-- DrCurry, Aug 28 2007 [DrCurry] the word you are looking for is "Senatorial".-- Galbinus_Caeli, Aug 28 2007 This idea or some derivative would be waaay safer than high-speed chases. (+)-- moots13181, Feb 22 2009 //Isn't this baked by Lo-Jack, or however it's spelled?// I just heard an ad for On-Star that said that a remote reduced power mode is available on newer Chevrolet vehicles.-- MisterQED, Feb 01 2010 random, halfbakery