HACKER Q&A
📣 amichail

Why not build a car that will not move with a stranger inside?


Everyone in the car (not just the driver) would need to be authenticated as a person allowed to be in that car. Otherwise, the car will not move.

Adding a new person to those allowed in the car would require a password and a 24 hour wait.

This security system would prevent car theft including carjackings.

So why hasn't this been done already?


  👤 SkittyDog Accepted Answer ✓
Do you live in a place where carjackings are common enough to justify making it impossible to give a random friend a ride, somewhere, on short notice?

If you do live with that kind of fear of violent crime in your life, I legitimately offer you my deep sympathies... I've had the privilege of living most of my life in physically very safe places, and I can only imagine how awful this would be.

That said... Individually authenticating passengers in the car would require some extensive, invasive technology. I cannot imagine an effective way to do it... Here in the US, people convicted of drunk driving are often required to install ignition-interlock Breathalyzers as a condition of keeping their driving privileges. But even those systems are pretty trivial for a somewhat determined problem drinker to defeat.

Also, the major loss of functionality (giving rides to people on short notice) would make it a hard sell, except in place where the crime problem was truly terrifying... And at that point, I'd assume that it's easier/cheaper to just hire armed bodyguards to escort you, rather than any kind of technological solution.


👤 robin_reala
Because who is more worried about carjackings than giving a lift to a non-registered friend?

👤 toast0
I've had an unscheduled occupant in my car an infinite percent more than I've been carjacked. Carjacking happens, but in most places it's pretty rare.

👤 Minor49er
I'm losing less with a possible carjacking than I am with guaranteed surveillance

👤 patrickz
I have been drive for about 20 years, and I've never encountered a car theft.