Friday, February 4, 2005
Winning car chases with microwaves
Eureka Aerospace in Pasadena is developing a High Power Electromagnetic System that can fry a vehicle's microchips and slow cars to a halt. According to a Wired News report, the 5 foot by 4 foot antenna array could be mounted on police pursuit vehicles or helicopters. It's slated to be ready for testing by the Los Angeles County Sheriff's Department by late summer.
"The beautiful part of using the (microwave) energy is that it leaves the suspect in control of the car," (LA Sheriff's Department Commander Sid Heal) said. "He can steer, he can brake, he just can't accelerate."Link
Another benefit to such a technology, Heal said, is that it would give officers the ability to pinpoint where they want to stop a car -- on a freeway overpass, for instance -- which would limit a suspect's opportunities for escape.
"It's going to change law enforcement tactics," he said.
posted by David Pescovitz at 10:55:24 AM permalink | Other blogs' comments
