The idea is to apply an electric current to your car windows that frosts them over when the car alarm is armed.
This would prevent people from looking inside your vehicle while parked to decide if they want to steal your purse or radio or whatever.-- ShawnBob, Apr 22 2010 Smart (Electrochromic) Glazing http://images.googl...%3D1%26tbs%3Disch:1 [ShawnBob, Apr 22 2010] Dumb non-electrochromic glazing Liquid-filled_20window_20tinting [normzone, Apr 22 2010] and the problem of somebody breaking into your car and waiting, undetectable to passers-by...-- FlyingToaster, Apr 22 2010 sorry 21...my fault...confusing verbiage. activated, as in set (armed) by the car owner, not triggered...will change to clarify. Thanks!
Toaster: Not sure how someone would get in a car without setting off the alarm and/or remain inside while the thing is armed, unless they were in there first....lol...now that I think about it, the Volvo S80 heartbeat sensor comes to mind.-- ShawnBob, Apr 22 2010 Mere curiosity about what "could be" is not a huge motivator for risking going to jail. Security is one of the several reasons why limos have blackened glass...the darker the better. Aftermarket tinting companies actually advertise the security benefits of darkened glass. Generally for privacy and theft deterrant, you just don't want anyone looking inside your car for any reason when it's parked. Theives generally break into cars because they see something they like to steal inside, or they are trying to jack the entire car. There are plenty of cars to look inside and know for certain what is in there. Usually the theives just walk down a row of cars peeking inside until they see a laptop or a purse or an expensive stereo or...whatever crime of opportunity presents itself. Sometimes it's pure vandalism, but there is not much you can do about that other than drive a beater...or just not make a lot of enemies. I've had my stereo stolen 3 times in various cities. These days it is covered over. No one has stolen it since because they don't want to risk breaking in for nothing.-- ShawnBob, Apr 22 2010 Since my bike alarm went off while I was riding, I'd be very worried about a system which, in the event of a similar failure, would effectively blind the driver.
I understand the electrochromic glass is opaque until voltage is applied, so electrical failure = blind driver. This is a poor failure mode
As a variation on this idea, perhaps the 'steamed up' windows could be supplemented with a device which occasionaly rocks the car slightly and emits muffled groans.-- Twizz, Apr 22 2010 [Twizz] "Don't come a-robbing when the car is rocking!"
Maybe you could make the inside of the car look really scruffy in the high end, holographic versions of this product ...-- Aristotle, Apr 22 2010 You could disguise your handbag as a dirty baby's nappy, your computer as a packet of mouldy sandwiches, your phone as a dog turd and your expensive designer clothes as a half eaten packet of fish and chips. That should deter casual thieves. Now we only need to think of a way to automate this when you press the locking button... or, alternatively, be bold and start a new fashion trend.-- pocmloc, Apr 22 2010 Came here to say what Twizz said. When electronics/ connections/ software break, it/they should break in such a way as to allow the greatest chance for a graceful shutdown/recovery. This would not be that.-- ericscottf, Apr 22 2010 I think I like the idea. I solve the problem of not having my car stereo stolen by not having a car stereo. Which is tremendously convenient as I don't have a car either.-- kaz, Apr 22 2010 It would be possible to create two layer window with one layer polarized and one layer LCD that would produce this effect and still fail to transparent. It would shade the window somewhat even when in transparent, however, and at least in the US that is not allowed for the windshield.-- MechE, Apr 22 2010 //tremendously convenient as I don't have a car either.// How on earth do you carry the spare wheel and jack around?-- MaxwellBuchanan, Apr 22 2010 //How on earth do you carry the spare wheel and jack around?//
Carry the spare wheel in your left hand, jack around with your right.-- pocmloc, Apr 22 2010 Perhaps Jack carries them and the spare wheel around.-- mouseposture, Jan 07 2011 random, halfbakery