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From: doug@prime.UUCP (Douglas Hamilton)
Newsgroups: net.auto.tech
Subject: Re: Motion sensors in car alarms
Message-ID: <138@prime.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 19-Feb-86 19:55:21 EST
Article-I.D.: prime.138
Posted: Wed Feb 19 19:55:21 1986
Date-Received: Sun, 23-Feb-86 04:41:27 EST
References: <8927@ucla-cs.ARPA>
Distribution: net
Organization: Prime Computer, Inc., Framingham, MA
Lines: 51

> ==> A motion/impact sensor can tell whether someone has bumped into your
>     car.  If you return to your car and see that the alarm has not been
>     set off, you know you needn't inspect it carefully for damage.

Not generally correct.  By state law (at least in Massachusetts, and
probably elsewhere) auto alarms must automatically shut off after a
short interval (roughly a minute or two.)

> ==> A motion/impact sensor can set off the alarm if someone tries to
>     tow your car away.

Agree.

>     On the other hand, a thief who is brazen enough to tow away a car
>     is not likely to be deterred by an alarm.

But given a choice between your car with an alarm and someone else's
without, who's do you think he'll take?

>     I think a much more effective measure to discourage illegal towaways
>     would be to engrave the VIN number all over the car (so as to make
>     it less attractive to the "chop shops").

Presuming you do it so obviously that they see it before they steal it...
and that you don't mind defacing your pretty new car in this manner.

> ==> Motion/impact sensors contribute heavily to false alarms (especially
>     with cars in parking structures), thus fostering a "cry wolf" image
>     and eroding public willingness to take car alarms seriously.

Most often, false alarms are because the sensor was improperly mounted
or adjusted.  But granting your point that false alarms do happen and
people may/may not take notice, suppose you knew for a fact that this
afternoon, *SOMEONE'S* car was going to get stolen from the lot you parked in...
could I sell you an alarm?

Regards,

Douglas Hamilton       Prime Computer,Inc.
617-626-1700 x3956     CAD/CAM Workstation Group 
                       492 Old Connecticut Path
                       Framingham, MA  10701

{seismo,ihnp4,allegra,ut-sally}!harvard!prime!doug
-- 
Douglas Hamilton       Prime Computer,Inc.
617-626-1700 x3956     Video Products Group
                       492 Old Connecticut Path
                       Framingham, MA  10701

{seismo,ihnp4,allegra,ut-sally}!harvard!prime!doug