The automotive industry is continuously expanding with new innovations and features being introduced in vehicles. Simultaneously, crime is also increasing with more thefts taking place, more hit and runs occurring, and a greater threat posed by terrorism using vehicles. This means there is still a need for more innovation in the field of safety and security to reduce crime and security threats.
There may be several ways to meet these requirements but there is one clear solution and that is that all vehicles should have a feature to identify driver information through a security card or driving license and GPS system.
To develop this kind of system first we have to understand the need for this innovation:
- Recently, there have been incidents in which terrorists have used stolen automotive vehicles as part of terrorist acts, such as the vents in Nice, France, and in Berlin, Germany, in 2016.
- In many countries such as India, most accidents happen with underage drivers or a person without a driving license at the wheel.
- In many cases it is hard to identify stolen vehicles.
How will it work?
For this type of security system, two things are required: one is a driving license with magnetic tape with all the details of the driver, and second is a card reader that can be installed in the car. When a driver wants to start the vehicle, they have to swipe the card so the vehicle can identify the individual as its owner and only then can the car be driven. Unknown persons will not be able to start the car.
Benefits of this invention:
- All cars will be configured with owner information.
- This security system will restrict other persons from misusing the vehicle.
- With a combination of GPS and this safety feature, security agencies will able to identify the position of the vehicle and driver information at any time.
- It will restrict adults giving a car to a child as the vehicle will need driving license information.
These things will only become possible when certification agencies and governments endorse and collaborate with automotive companies to implement such a system.
Shriram Kumar Tailor studied agricultural engineering and has five years’ experience in product development and testing in the tractor industry. For four years he worked for Escorts, a developer of agri-machinery, as assistant manager of lab and track testing. He also worked for New Holland Fiat India for one year as a senior engineer in product development. Currently he is a junior engineer in the soil and water conservation department with the government of Rajasthan, India.