Beginning with the basics, the ultimate trunk escape system has a fuel shutoff valve and pull handle on the inside of the trunk to allow for the kidnapee to stop the vehicle and exit. BUT! That leaves so many holes! What if the bad guy gets mad and shoots through the trunk, or shoots the gas tank, or tries to open the trunk to beat his victim to death? Adding armor can only go so far. This trunk has a retractable knife in it so that the victim can cut him or herself free if tied up. Then the vehicle will spray a fluorescent liquid on the driver so that external cameras will see the kidnapper get out, and then activate an LED light on the trunk lining, in the direction of the movement. At that point the Hidden Compartment (tm) opens revealing an armor piercing FN Five-Seven, which the formerly helpless victim can use to blast dozens of holes in the trunk and badguy on the other side. LED lights only activate at an angle guaranteeing a hit to ensure that not too many stray bullets enter nearby houses/cars/schools.
I'd like to point out; in America all of this is perfectly legal.-- DIYMatt, Jun 28 2012 What if the bad guy (or one of his associates) hides in the trunk and surprises you when you open it? Only now, he's armed with a knife, and an armour-piercing Five-Seven!-- zen_tom, Jun 28 2012 FN's 'armor-piercing' claim about the Five-seveN is deceptive; they mean (but don't often say) that it will go through a police-style Kevlar vest, as will any high-velocity rifle. It won't, however, punch through more than 1/8" steel or ceramic armor, and it requires a point-blank right- angle hit to send one through impregnated Kevlar. Instead, I'd opt for a Sig P556 (a stockless AR-15 with a 9" barrell) loaded with actual armor-piercing rounds; it's a little bulkier, but it accepts a 30-round mag and actually _will_ go through anything between you and the flourescent carjacker.
// in America all of this is perfectly legal. //
Only if the gun concealed in the trunk is unloaded.-- Alterother, Jun 28 2012 //Only if the gun concealed in the trunk is unloaded.// In a lot of states you can have a loaded gun in the trunk with no permit. If you want to keep a gun (unloaded or not) in the passenger compartment you need a concealed carry permit. Laws vary of course.-- DIYMatt, Jun 28 2012 I remembered that about two minutes after I posted it and was on my way back to correct it. In Maine, the only places in a vehicle where a loaded weapon can be concealed are the glove box and under either of the front seats. If it's anywhere else in the vehicle, concealed or otherwise, it must be unloaded.
Sometimes I forget that not everywhere is Maine.-- Alterother, Jun 28 2012 A surprising number of places aren't.-- not_morrison_rm, Jun 28 2012 Wow, that is odd...under the front seats or glove box, elsewhere unloaded. I'm used to either you can't (CA) (unless you have an extremely rare concealed carry permit) or you can (AZ). Interesting...-- normzone, Jun 28 2012 as a general notion, the person thrown in the trunk is usually dead, unconscious, or so thoroughly tied and gagged that they cannot call attention to themselves. Very rarely is it the trunk of their own car, as using the victims car produces potential eye witnesses and could be the subject of an APB. No, you are never likely to be kidnapped in the boot of your own car. Is the notion to equip all cars in this fashion?-- WcW, Jun 28 2012 How about adding control overrides and video screens into the trunk? Then the kidnappee can press a button to flood the cabin with knockout gas (doors and windows simultaneously locked) and then drive the car to a place of safety or authority from within the trunk.-- pocmloc, Jun 28 2012 random, halfbakery