Related Sections: Security Vehicles
Brazil's high tech plan to stop car thieves dead in their tracks
Brazil has a really big problem with car theft. In fact, the criminals and drug dealers that steal most of the cars take them to areas so dangerous, that the police will simply cut deals with the gangs to get the stolen cars back. Now however, there are plans to use technology to stop the criminals in their tracks.
Starting next August, every new car sold in Brazil will be fitted with a GPS tracking device similar to the LoJack system used in the US. The twist however is that the Brazilian system will let the police send out a signal that shuts down the car, leaving the crooks going nowhere fast. The car can then be located using GPS.
When you consider the lengths some people will go to to secure their car, this plan sounds like a no-brainer. Hopefully, if the Brazilian roll out is successful, something similar can be launched in the US.
By Gadget Sleuth at 12:24 PM ON 12/28/08
Very cool...something like this needs to be brought to the US...badly. Hopefully this test there works out well.
By lol at 12:58 PM ON 12/28/08
They're already doing it through OnStar. If you get a GM vehicle it might be remote controlled w/o you even realizing it. This sounds nice and all, true, but the problem is where the control is - with the cops. The vehicle belongs to YOU. That would be like the cops keeping a key to your house and having rights to come in and search any time they liked. Any device should only be controllable by the owner of the vehicle.
You say, why? I won't be running from the cops! Well I say if you are, chances are you won't want your CAR TO SHUT DOWN! Lol. You never know what could happen - in five years the cops could be coming after you because you refused to turn in your 12 guage, or you said the wrong thing at a town hall meeting. On top of that you could be running from practically ANY tech savvy criminal (much more likely you'll have mobsters or such chasing you than cops if you're a mostly decent person :D) and they're going to use that back door to get in and shut down your car, as well as locate you for convenient execution. Congratulations on your new snitch car.
By anglachel at 1:49 PM ON 12/28/08
wow another wire to cut before I steal a car... I guess I'll have to sharpen the wire cutters ever 50 car thefts instead of every 75 now.
By dancesonsnow at 7:44 PM ON 12/28/08
I can see it now... The top headline of July 27th 2012: "Thousands of fatal car crashes happend accross Brazil today as the Bra-jack national car retrevial system was hacked"
By hollywood_hillbilly at 8:32 PM ON 12/28/08
Cool, I wonder if it's cheaper than the $2.95 locking valve I put on my gas line?
By Ron at 1:49 AM ON 12/29/08
More like a high tech plan to stop car thieves AFTER they've stolen your car..
By LO-TEcH at 5:02 AM ON 12/29/08
I remember news headline I've read few years ago...
After second car theft, some fisherman did put more then 100 hooks in the drivers seat. When he wanted to drive, he would use seat cover made of wooden pearls. One night police found would-be car thief hooked on drivers seat.... It took paramedics about 2h to unhook him.
By Traveler at 12:25 PM ON 12/29/08
Does anyone really belive that requiring trackers has anything to do with stolen cars?!
By X5 at 5:20 PM ON 04/12/09
At x5 gps tracking they put the control in the owners hands
Www.x5gps.com
By unparalled61 at 2:17 AM ON 07/28/09
the stolen car market is constantly changing.
on your cellphone!
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unparalled61 :
the stolen car market is constantly changing. ...More »