The battery for the central locking on my car is running low at the moment, and I have no idea how to change it! This led me to think, why not install a Rechargeable power supply in the key, and a circuit in the ignition that powers it up. Result... Never standing in the rain, waiting for the bloody thing to work!-- MikeOliver, Nov 15 2004 BMWs seem to do this http://www.google.c...+ignition+bmw&meta= [hippo, Nov 17 2004] Yeah, sorry... that should read remote central locking!-- MikeOliver, Nov 15 2004 some cars do this already-- hippo, Nov 15 2004 Mine doesn't!-- MikeOliver, Nov 15 2004 If there was ever a piezoelectric application, this one is it-- theircompetitor, Nov 15 2004 [theircompetitor] I happen to think my piezoelectric chair idea is THE seminal work on the subject, but whatever.
I like the idea of a rechargeable supply, though. Why not have it charge through the car's alternator system when you're driving?-- shapu, Nov 15 2004 [hippo]: Tell us which cars do this already. Draw pictures.-- angel, Nov 15 2004 So the remote locking mechanism would get charged through the key that is inside the ignition?-- nomadic_wonderer, Nov 16 2004 "When the battery goes dead, don't stand outside in the rain, just put the shiny key in the little slot thingy by the door knob and turn it"
Unfortunately I can't quite reach my car door from inside my house!-- MikeOliver, Nov 17 2004 [admin: if you want to change something in the idea text of an idea you own, just change it in the editable idea text window that you see when you're going to the idea while logged in, and press OK. That'll change the text. It's much easier than adding an annotation that says "sorry, that should say <something else>."]-- jutta, Nov 17 2004 [angel] Don't know anything about pictures, but it looks like BMWs do this (see link). It was some other kind of car I was thinking of though - possibly Land Rovers, but I can't find any reference to them recharging key batteries.-- hippo, Nov 17 2004 That's good enough for me. Certainly baked then.-- angel, Nov 17 2004 That first anno of mine was responding to a question that has since been deleted!
Also I have a BMW (well a BMW Mini) and i'm pretty sure it doesn't do this!-- MikeOliver, Nov 17 2004 UnaBubba was right, some cars don't have key holes on the doors anymore.-- Jake, Jul 07 2005 Having working key fobs are now becoming a matter of societal concern. Most car owners do not know how to turn off their alarm without using the key fob.
Give me a minute to suppress my car alarm rant...
New smart keys already have integrated circuitry. With these keys, current DOES flow from the battery through the key. Incorporating the key, clicker, smartkeycircuitry, and battery is a logical extension, which should, in most cases, ensure that the battery needs changing less often than the brake pads.
In fact, I myself posted a similar idea, but deleted it, since it got only a lukewarm reception, and became a repository for car ads attempting to prove that it was baked.-- ye_river_xiv, May 29 2008 "Too expensive..." "would end up costing an extra $100"
An extra $100... I can see that causing no end of problems when I buy my next Rolls Royce Phantom. I'll already be paying $340,000 for the car, not to mention just over 7 grand for twinkly lights on the roof lining, 6 grand for slightly bigger wheels, another 6 grand to make the exhaust peek out a bit further and nearly 12 grand for an upgraded cd player. Still if I can save $100 I'll probably just about be able to manage.-- MikeOliver, Jul 23 2008 Why not simply incorporate the central locking for your car and house into the chip implanted in your arm, which will recharge itself from your body's natural electrical charge.-- mecotterill, Oct 18 2008 Cos when you buy a new car you'd need to replace your arm I'm quite attached to mine.-- MikeOliver, Jan 15 2009 random, halfbakery