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Pioneered by the defence department's Joint Non-Lethal Weapons Program (JNLWD), the new direct energy weapon has the ability to stop a cart in its tracks without harming the vehicle or its driver.
"The jammer works by targeting the car's engine control unit causing it to reboot over and over, stalling the engine. Like an invisible hand, the microwaves hold the car in place." David Law, who leads JNLWD's technology division, said in March: "Anything that has electronics on it, these high-powered microwaves will affect. As long as the [radio] is on, it holds the vehicle stopped."
[...] "The RFVS system uses high-power magnetron tubes to generate intense RF pulses that interfere with a vehicle's electronics, rendering it temporarily inoperable. The engine cannot be restarted while the RF is on but is readily restarted once the RF is turned off. Thus, the RFVS system allows for the maintenance of a safe keep-out zone in situations that might otherwise require the use of lethal force. The defined measure of success for this system is a demonstrated, effective capability against more than 80% of the candidate target-vehicle-class list, which includes passenger cars and large vehicles."
A video shows demonstrations of the weapon against cars and boats.
(Score: 2) by Phoenix666 on Tuesday May 01 2018, @03:02PM (2 children)
I want one. I'll use it to shut down the BMW drivers who are nearly always the most dangerous drivers on the road, cutting others off, tailgating, etc. Bonus points for a model that makes a cool and appropriate sound effect when firing, such as the Death Star vaporizing Alderaan or the Top Thrill Dragster at Cedar Point.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 2) by Osamabobama on Tuesday May 01 2018, @05:10PM
You could fit the transmitting antenna with a few bits of extraneous metal to encourage arcing. Put that next to a resonant cavity to enhance the audio and you're in business.
Appended to the end of comments you post. Max: 120 chars.
(Score: 2) by Freeman on Tuesday May 01 2018, @06:24PM
Just think about it like this. That person driving the BMW who is driving like a crazy person, will save maybe 10 seconds on his commute. That's assuming he doesn't cause a wreck or get stopped by a cop. Sure, going 100+ mph in the desert with no one around for 100+ miles will save you quite some time. Driving like a maniac in traffic to get across town, will not save you an appreciable amount of time. What would have saved you as much or more time is having left 60 seconds earlier.
Joshua 1:9 "Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee"