I was struck, when passing some parked cars the other day, by how many of them had been left with lights on.
Today’s invention is a way to reduce this problem for people whose vehicles don’t yet have a lights-left-on alarm (or who are in such a rush that they fail to notice it).
People who spot lights left on can text the licence plate to a well-publicised number. This is linked to the licensing computer which automatically issues an alert to the mobile phone of the owner.
An alternative might be to plant a receiver in the car’s lighting circuitry, so that, if it is parked, the lamps can be automatically disconnected.
Ha! Jessica came up with exactly the same idea on our way home from Tedx on Thursday.
How about having a switch off button that could be used from outside and would only work when the engine is off?
Great minds think alike, eh? I like the button idea, but it would have to be built like an armoured atm interface, given that every child on the way from school would give it a recreational hammering -as with motorised science museum exhibits.
No wait, I was telling you Patrick’s idea!! I was just going to comment here that Maciek liked this one, ha, but see he beat me to it =)
Glad you both liked it! Did you see this yet, BTW?
http://www.wired.com/thisdayintech/
InventorCentre will support the next generation of these folk
cheers,
p
Ah indeed, happy St Andrews day all! Quite a cool list of folks there, geez! No doubt InventorCentre will be producing a similarly impressive one =)