Car Engines to be Stopped by Radio Waves

Do you want your car engine to be stopped by a radio?

According to reports, a new prototype device has been developed by a company called E2V which uses radio-frequency pulse to shut down car engines from a range. While the range of the device is fairly short but it did work on a handful of cars and motorbikes and could also potentially be used on boats.

This new technology is called the RF Safe-stop and it works by sending an RF pulse to a car at up to 50 meters (164 feet) away. The pulse confuses the car’s electronic systems, which makes the dashboard warning lights and dial behave erratically. The engine then stalls, and the car comes to a stop. How safely and quickly the vehicle would stop depends on the vehicle, and this technique would not work on older vehicles.

The RF Safe-stop could be used for stopping vehicles that are suspected of being car bombs. Likewise, the Safe-stop could cut police chases short or be installed in a fixed area to prevent cars from entering. The Association of Chief Police Officers, said that it would be a safer alternative to stopping two-wheeled vehicles than shooting out their tires. E2V does not specify how narrowly the Safe-stop can be targeted. Andy Wood, a product manager for E2V, said that the company will be taking orders for the Safe-stop in the coming weeks.