SlashGear Japan
Eureka Aerospace in Pasadena, California has developed a new way to stop vehicles with drivers that think high speed car cashes are fun. By using the same technology found in microwaves they have created a device that will fry a car’s electrical system and stop it dead in its tracks.
This prototype is 5ft long, 3ft wide, 1ft thick and just less than 200 pounds. It operates at a 300 megahertz frequency; your household microwave operates at about 2.5 GHz. The radiation level is not harmful to humans except that it’ll cost you a bundle if you ever have to have this device worked upon your vehicle.
Just one pulse from this beam, lasting only 50 nanoseconds, will do the trick. In four different tests they were able to disable the cars from 10-50ft away. With proper funding Eureka Aerospace thinks they can shrink the device to 50lbs and can work from 600ft away in about two years.
It’s like something out a Philip K. Dick book. I think it’s a great idea and would love to see it in action myself.
Microwave Beam Stops Cars Dead [via Discovery News]
51 Responses to “Microwave Beam Used to Stop Cars Dead”
RustyH December 4, 2007
The police already abuse the taser. Now a car taser??? WTF!!
+4DevilBoy December 5, 2007
Can’t wait for criminals to get a hold of this gadget… this is SCARY…
+5Chrisboff December 5, 2007
Bring on the microwave sheilded cars!
+4FLoridaU December 6, 2007
Don’t tase my car, bro!
+9Max Mertens December 6, 2007
So the SCI-FI from the TV-Series VIPER gets reality…
Knock of the bad guys car electrical system with a click!
NeutralHillBilly December 7, 2007
Yeah, just another good reason to keep that old ‘67 GTO in good running shape…… :)
+7Alex December 9, 2007
Here’s the problem though. More and more in modern cars steering is becoming electrically controlled. So what happens when the person loses steering and flies into a wall? Even worse, what if he hits 5 other cars and kills everyone?
NeutralWerewere December 9, 2007
wait…
-1i could mod my microwave to kill cars….
it cant thaw a ham but it can do that….
dam…
needs video
jim December 9, 2007
Never met a taser victim that didn’t deserve it.
this will be a great tool in stopping the high speed chases that criminals start.
http://www.golfnorwich.com/
-7Fill December 9, 2007
This article is mistitled. The device might use technology that’s in your microwave, but it’s not emitting microwaves (which are > 1GHz). It’s emitting radio in the part of the spectrum for over-the-air TV (right where VHF ends and UHF begins). heh, I wonder how many TV tuners it could zap?
BTW- I agree with Alex, which is probably why other technologies that have been developed that do the same thing are generally not used.
NeutralZeno, Internetographer December 9, 2007
Yeah, this is just going to end in police crashing people into walls, other cars, etc., since it doesn’t actually “stop” the car, just turns it off. Inertia still works.
Neutralnotacargeek December 9, 2007
To those who think that something like this will cause accidents, please learn something about the way cars work. Wikipedia and howstuffworks are great resources for this.
No car currently is “steer by wire”. There is a shaft that comes through the steering wheel that connects directly to the linkage that turns the wheels.
No car is currently “brake by wire”. The pedal connects through a booster (which is vacuum assisted) to a cylinder that pushes the fluid in the brake system, pressurizing the system and actuating the brakes.
Since the car would probably still be in gear when the engine failed from this system, the engine probably will turn, meaning that you will still have power steering to assist turning until the car is sufficiently slowed. Even without power steering, a car is still manageable by all but the most fragile or weakest when the wheels are still turning. You will also still have vacuum to actuate the brake booster, so the brakes will not be hard as a rock until the car slows down. Again, even without the booster, it is just more difficult to brake, not impossible.
While cars will not stop immediately, to think that they will careen out of control is simply ludicrous.
In the future, these things may change, but currently, there is no problem with this technology.
-1Georgio DeJungle December 10, 2007
You know, reading the replies to this post reminds me why it is that America has become the capital of “skewed” language. The likes of “you know”, “like, man”, “like wow, “totally awesome dude”, spiel of Hollywood today. Please people do descend into drivel and understand that the English language is in danger becoming what the Constitution is rapidly becoming – extinct and/or the plaything of rich Texan businessmen who stand proudly with one hand over their heart and the other down in your pockets.
Like – wow.
+1Giorgio
Jason December 11, 2007
[quote comment="31897"]The police already abuse the taser. Now a car taser??? WTF!![/quote]
actually this thing will fry all your electrical equipment including any cellphones you might have on you or in your car
[quote comment="32166"]Here’s the problem though. More and more in modern cars steering is becoming electrically controlled. So what happens when the person loses steering and flies into a wall? Even worse, what if he hits 5 other cars and kills everyone?[/quote]
somehow i doubt the police would use it on a car going 120mph down the interstate if it has a chance of hitting other cars
NeutralGeorgio DeJungle December 11, 2007
[quote comment="32197"]You know, reading the replies to this post reminds me why it is that America has become the capital of “skewed” language. The likes of “you know”, “like, man”, “like wow, “totally awesome dude”, spiel of Hollywood today. Please people do descend into drivel and understand that the English language is in danger becoming what the Constitution is rapidly becoming – extinct and/or the plaything of rich Texan businessmen who stand proudly with one hand over their heart and the other down in your pockets.
Like – wow.
Giorgio[/quote]
This guy is like, “totalled”. He speaks crap, man. Dis kids gotta go. Obviously deranged! What a maroon.
Giorgio DeJungle
+1vanillachicken December 11, 2007
[quote comment="32034"]Yeah, just another good reason to keep that old ‘67 GTO in good running shape…… :)[/quote]
You needed ANOTHER reason?
+3Ty December 11, 2007
This could be very useful, but I think some problems could occur but I’ll be interested to see if they actually begin using it.
NeutralGeorge December 11, 2007
I think that’s pretty cool :)
Downside – in the wrong hands, that thing is going to be incredibly costly to the rest of the world :P
George
NeutralTy December 11, 2007
Yea, very bad. That wouldn’t be good at all they need to be good about what they do and how they handle things.
Neutralejes December 12, 2007
“Never met a taser victim that didn’t deserve it.
this will be a great tool in stopping the high speed chases that criminals start.”
What a moron!
I never met an idiot like Jim who deserves the rights and freedoms he so gladly gives up.
This will be a great tool in helping officers keep the people in line.
+1guest December 13, 2007
[quote comment="32166"]Here’s the problem though. More and more in modern cars steering is becoming electrically controlled. So what happens when the person loses steering and flies into a wall? Even worse, what if he hits 5 other cars and kills everyone?[/quote]
Seat belts will happen.
Neutralguest December 13, 2007
stop worrying about “if it got into the wrong hands”. 1 I’m sure the thing is expensive as hell. 2 there are much much worse things that could be stolen and used with mal-intent ( EMP’s …Nuke’s). and 3. many more lives could be saved than taken with this so the pros out way the cons.
Neutralguest December 13, 2007
[quote comment="32448"][quote comment="32166"]Here’s the problem though. More and more in modern cars steering is becoming electrically controlled. So what happens when the person loses steering and flies into a wall? Even worse, what if he hits 5 other cars and kills everyone?[/quote]
Seat belts will happen.[/quote]
+ any cars going the speed limit will probably be going fast enough and far enough away to keep from getting hit.
NeutralDrake Mallard December 14, 2007
It will be nice to see this gadget in the hands of the criminals.
You drive through a “difficult” street and suddenly you find yourself with no car, no cell phone… and no money (and that’s only if you’re lucky).
Anyway, it’s pretty amazing to watch this kind of technology emerging every day. What would be next? Maybe a “kid stopper”? It’s a really useful tool for parents with loud children, you just attach a collar to your beloved child neck, and when he or she starts to get annoying ZZZZZAAAAP!!!, just push the button and problem solved.
I know, I know, sound cruel. But is much more gentle than the dart gun I’m currently using :D
DM
+1pakbehl December 15, 2007
Um, Has Nobody thought about ppl with PaceMakers???! This is a DEATH RAY to them!
NeutralMoony December 15, 2007
I know a guy who was doing this 15 years ago. His device was about the size of a cell phone and weighed about half a pound. It worked well from about 6 feet away from the target vehicle’s main computer. He disappeared…
NeutralMike A December 16, 2007
cops already abuse the power they are given they are not protecting and serving its more like abusing and harassing this is just another way to for the man to hold us down i say if the cops have it then the average citizen should have the right to buy it because the people should be on level grounds i mean whats to stop a crooked cop (yes theres a lot of them) from abusing this power like they already do now
mike a
+1Ty December 17, 2007
Yea, I’ll be curious if we end up seeing these more on the streets. But personally I think it could be quite harzardous in some cases as if the car stops and people are behind it, it will go straight on.
Neutralshem December 24, 2007
…and so my wheels are again covered in tinfoil. at least my car will match my hat.
+1Mark Meyer December 26, 2007
Look for this to become a mandatory device in all automobiles soon.
When the day comes when freedom loving patriots rise up against the Fascist state, this will be just another tool in the state’s arsenal.
First, they will take our guns, then they’ll render our vehicles impotent.
+1Bob S December 29, 2007
A real criminal would fit a ‘Faraday cage’ over the microprocessors. And what would have to be done to a car that was ‘zapped’ to get it started again($)? For those who are interested look at this link, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Faraday_cage
-1Richard Quang January 11, 2008
At last an answer to Boom Boxes.
+1This is not a Taser (no wiers). HERF is more like it. I want two, one for the left and one for the right.