Lessen the severity of impact with HUGE electromagnetic bumpers to repel other cars from colliding with yours. Obviously, every car would need them and all cars would have to have the correct polarity. Wouldn't it be cool to have an invisible force field around your car? :)
-- mhh5, Jun 14 2002

see also: anti-tailgating device http://www.halfbake...tailgating_20device
similar concept, but no projectile weapons [mhh5, Jun 14 2002, last modified Oct 04 2004]

see also: airbag bumper http://www.halfbake...ea/Bumper_20Airbags
not as cool as an invisible shield... [mhh5, Jun 14 2002, last modified Oct 04 2004]

see also: magnetic forcefields replace windshield wipers http://www.halfbake...gnetic_20forcefield
ok, just don't get too close... [mhh5, Jun 14 2002, last modified Oct 04 2004]

Hands-free Ballroom Dancing http://www.halfbake...0Ballroom_20Dancing
now if everybody wore these in their cars... [FarmerJohn, Jun 14 2002, last modified Oct 04 2004]

The stresses of the impact would still have to be absorbed by some portion of the car... it may lessen the impact using the electromagnetic cushion, but it would have to be one "mighty strong field" to cushion the type of forces involved...
-- oxygon, Jun 14 2002


// all cars would have to have the correct polarity //

North poles on front bumbers, South on the back?

But wouldn't this mean:

a) you'd be irresistably attracted to on-coming traffic, b) you'd tend to stick to bridges, c) you'd tend to pick up small ferrous objects as you go?
-- JKew, Jun 14 2002


They could be activated by proximity detectors.
-- angel, Jun 14 2002


If you backed out of a parking space toward another row of cars parked nose in, you would be dragged toward it (or the other car would be dragged out).

And due to the ferromagnetic effect, if you approached any vehicle from the side, it (and you) would be pulled together.

This would work only if the fields activated when an imminent impact was detected. The inrush currents into the field coil would be monstrous......
-- 8th of 7, Jun 14 2002


Since like poles repel, to avoid shunts you'd have to have half the cars with N at the front and S at the back, and the rest with S at the front and N at the back. You would then have to rigidly order cars on the roads so that these alternated:

... N=S S=N N=S S=N N=S ...
-- pottedstu, Jun 14 2002


This calls for MPNP - Magnetic Pole Negotiation Protocol. When impact in imminent, the cars flip a coin to decide who is north and who is south, then fire up their electromagnets appropriately.
-- phoenix, Jun 14 2002


But if the coin landed on its edge because it's become magnetized?
-- FarmerJohn, Jun 14 2002


Plastic polymers, aluminum, glass... Not much magnetic material on my car.
-- dag, Jun 14 2002


there are also the logistical problems of your sunglasses firing off (or into) your face at 400+ kph, your (analogue) watch reporting the wrong time of the incident by +/- 200 years, and you had better just hope you arent wearing jeans with a metal zipper and studs.

Explaining to the police why there are 9 cars stuck fast to yours, all the while wearing no pants, is not something I want to do again.
-- Johnny Mash, Jun 20 2002


Johnny Mash: Car pants ? Your car wears pants ?

Does anyone elses's car wear pants ? Mine does't. Am I doing something wrong ? Help me, please help me ...
-- 8th of 7, Jun 20 2002


You'll find them between the car bonnet and boot.
-- FarmerJohn, Jun 20 2002


Sorry 8th of 7, I should have explained that the Levi's I used to wear are now fused to the front bumper.
-- Johnny Mash, Jun 20 2002


mine once had a bra, util the strap broke. humm
-- benhadad, May 11 2004


How would these magnets be better than spring-steel bumpers?
-- supercat, May 11 2004


I don't see much voting going on. How did this get 3 buns?
-- dentworth, May 11 2004


Electro bumpers would turn off if in reverse to prevent dragging the guy infront of you or pushing him if backing into the space (rear to rear).

I pity the shopping lot attendant who has to pull all of the metal carts from the car bumpers!
-- BMCCUE, Sep 26 2005


You could have two seperate electromagnets and then both could be the same polarity.
-- ferox, Sep 26 2005



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