crumple zone lock

The idea is to have a zig-zag pattern of steel bars with strong joints between them, running alongside the fender, from the passenger compartment to the front of the grill, connected in front by one long steel rod. if you get in a wreck, the crumple zone aspect of your car would work normally, and the joints would close with the force of impact.

however, in the case that you found yourself about to hit something that would not prove injurous if you plowed right through it, but might total your car if it crumpled your engine compartment, thats when the system would come into play. there would be a big red button that you would push to temporarily stiffen the joints - much like a football player might lock his elbow to plow through defensive backs - so that your car would plow the object.

for example, while cruising in his brand new mercedes, don lost control and ran off the road, heading toward a UPS box, FedEx box, and USPS box, all bolted into cement. normally, he may successfully unearth the first box, but because some of the kinetic energy was absorbed by his front bumper/grille getting crushed, when he pushed the UPS box along which in turn hits the FedEx box, his car will not have enough energy (or structural integrity) to take out the second box. his engine compartment will crumple and his car will be totaled. however, if he had pushed the 'emergency crumple zone lock' button, his car would have stiffened up, turning it into a 2.5ton ramrod. his car would have unearthed each of the three drop boxes with ease, sending important correspondence flying in all directions, with only large dents and a broken windshield damage done to his car.