If weather conditions are adverse, it's necessary to anchor vehicles on a ferry to prevent them moving while the vessel is in transit.
This is usually done with webbing strops passed through eyelets in the deck plating, passed over the suspension, and tightened with ratchets.
However, this is a slow and labour-intensve process.
BorgCo have devised a "universal" securing system for such applications.
Each vehicle has two Y-shaped or V-shaped brackets attached to the front and rear of the underside of the body, or to the mount points for the crush cans, by strong hinges. These can be released and hinged down to just above the surface the vehicle stands on. They can then be extended slightly (by releasing a spring catch) and engaged with an internationally standardized fitment in the deck. They are then retracted and locked.
Their fitting would be a requirement for all new vehicles*, and retrofit kits would be produced for older vehicles. Without a prefitted securing system, a premium would be charged on tickets to encourage adoption.
The ship can pitch, roll and yaw, but the car won't move - until the dynamic forces reach a level where something breaks, by which point you are likely (if still alive) to have more serious concerns than scratched and dented bodywork.
*To clarify, the standard mount points on the vehicle would be mandatory; the actual coupling frame would be a pre-delivery or aftermarket option.-- 8th of 7, Dec 05 2016 Shipping Attachment Points http://www.toyotava.../img/dans4wd/15.jpgSee the two solidly-attached plates with oval holes in them. As mentioned in an annotation. [Vernon, Dec 05 2016] Only love can change a space zombie this much. Also the idea needs more gadgets.-- Voice, Dec 05 2016 So, you'd be compressing the suspension to their stops? I anticipate a problem...-- RayfordSteele, Dec 05 2016 I'm guessing just filling the vehicle decks with aspic..-- not_morrison_rm, Dec 05 2016 ... or custard ?
// love //
What is this "love" of which you hu-mons speak ? Your words are strange to us.
// compressing the suspension to their stops? //
No; just making it "sit down" a bit, equivalent to a full permissible load. There would still be travel available to allow the shockers to operate.-- 8th of 7, Dec 05 2016 A lot of imported cars already have attachments whereby they can be kept from moving around on the ships that imported them. See link.-- Vernon, Dec 05 2016 Shirley, the answer is magnets. The answer is almost always magnets.-- MaxwellBuchanan, Dec 08 2016 While this concept is sound, I have concerns for the ideological direction of the collective. The suggested configuration is merely papering over the cracks of the problem: variety. Shirley the solution would work better from the other direction, make shipping containers roadworthy. They already have mounting points at each corner, they can be stacked, they're tough and available in a mix of sizes to suit every need and the handling is a marvel of mechanized efficiency.
Once adopted, city parking would be revolutionized. The natural progression to self-driving versions would integrate perfectly with the existing infrastructure and most importantly, move human civilization to become a series of interchangeable standardized and scale-able living units.
Now I come to think of it, making cars more like shipping containers was clearly a design goal at Volvo until all that nasty Ford business made them lose their way.-- bs0u0155, Dec 08 2016 What is this, thing called love?-- the porpoise, Dec 08 2016 random, halfbakery