Students develop technology that prevents car-door damage
A group of students from Cologne’s Erzbischoefliche Liebfrauenschule in Germany has developed a sensing system that may actually prevent all of those car door bumps and bruises attained from smacking into objects (like other car doors next to you in the parking lot).
The “brake system” for car doors, called “i-protect,” is a sensor-based system that can reduce sheet metal damage and the accompanying costly insurance claims by automatically stopping car doors from hitting objects as they’re being opened.
The i-protect system was initially developed as part of a competition for high-school students which was sponsored by the Boston Consulting Group. Now, Kiekert, a global supplier of car-door locking systems is supporting the students’ idea and will further develop the technology.
The system is basically a simple stop mechanism that can be installed into any car door’s check strap and then connected by a sensor system or camera equipment. If a car door is opened and comes close to hitting an object, it will stop. It also allows you to lean against the door when you get out of the car.
