In today's age, car theft, though it is becoming more difficult, is still very prevalent. Even the most novice car theives tend to be able to bypass those fancy electronic key ignitions using a mechanics' manuel for the car they are stealing. Then, once they have stolen it, they generally will take the car to a parts "chop shop" and get a lot of money for your big engine. Once your car is taken apart it is completely untraceable. Why don't car companies try and combat the trouble with the "chop shop" method by attaching locater devices on the most crucial elements on each part. They could attach the locaters in places that they could not be removed without making the part useless. This would greatly help law enforcement find and shut down those places that accept stolen cars. Making Auto-theft a thing of the past.
*Note: this could also be used for locating cars that are just resold on the black market.-- Ebassick15, May 27 2004 Tracker http://www.tracker.co.uk/svt/The UK Version [FloridaManatee, Oct 04 2004] Detector http://www.grupodetector.com/The Spanish Version [FloridaManatee, Oct 04 2004] LoJack http://www.lojack.com/US Version [FloridaManatee, Oct 04 2004] Vehicle tracking http://www.tracetec...ehicle-tracking.htmAn alternative to the above links, also high recovery rate. [philmvi, Oct 10 2007] Yea I know you are all paranoid about big brother watching over you. In case you were wondering, I meant to say that each individual person could have something like a GPS system that they controlled themselves, not that the government was using. Anyone who wanted could turn over the information the got from the tracker to authorities if they so choose.-- Ebassick15, May 29 2004 Wow, this would take care of all my problems-- dickity, May 30 2004 This is highly baked in concept - the systems linked to have a 90% recovery rate.
No fishbones from me because I recognise that integrating many transmitters into the critical parts at the point of manufacture is not the same as these transmitters.
I can't give you a croissant either, because I don't believe the additional cost and complexity would be warranted by the extra 0~10% recovery probability your system could offer.
Please demonstrate how your idea is better than the existing systems.-- FloridaManatee, May 30 2004 This is different than the already previous existing systems because of the way cars are tracked. Usually cars are tracked as a whole currently (a tracker placed somewhere under the hood, in the stearing wheel, attached to the bottom of the cab, etc.) That is why the U.S. blackmarket for expensive cars is very limited. Theifs now tend to dismantle your car completely in a shady garage and then sell the parts seperately. When your car is completely dismantled you many only recover your engine, but the carbarator, clutch and every other usable part is lost. This eliminates that.-- Ebassick15, May 31 2004 Existing systems have 90% recovery ratio using a single device (according to [FloridaManatee]). Each additional device used multiplies cost, while recovering a maximum of 10% extra. Not cost effective. Marginal gains in recovery using a single device would be better.-- xrayTed, May 31 2004 [FloridaManatee] and [xrayTed], I think that your focus on the pure statistics is missing a big point. That extra 10% represents quite a lot of car thieves... the clever ones too that tend to do it again and again.
Having had two different vehicles stolen in my life, one recovered, one not, I'm in favor of anything that puts these creeps away. Even that last 10%.
Further, I just don't buy off on the "marginal gains makes it unworthwhile" argument. Bread from me.-- zigness, May 31 2004 You oaks are mos too sensitive my bru. The truth is that as it gets cheaper, this guys ideas get more validated. Some people would do it hey? in the future. whats the cost of an engine? lots, so why not protect the thing? be positive guys hey? 'cmon.-- philmvi, Oct 10 2007 random, halfbakery