100mph, 1000-pound City Bombs Coming Next

Various | 4/13/2002 | Self

[John Jamieson]

100 mph, 1000-pound City Bombs Coming Next.

Within a year or so, automakers from around the world will begin producing cars with 42-volt electrical systems. The industry is changing the standard 12-volt automobile voltage in order to replace hydraulic and mechanical systems with electronic ones. Steering, shifting, throttle, baking, etc will all become electronically controlled.

Unfortunately the next ideal terrorist delivery device will automatically become available for less than the cost of a plane ticket. Terrorists will merely rent a late model car, connect a large bomb to the built in airbag detonation device connector. Connect a tiny blackbox interface unit between a model airplane RC receiver and the car’s control computer; instant 100-mph remote controlled bomb! The terrorist merely looks down from a high building over the site of his planned destruction, or rides in a chase car, while he steers the bomb toward oblivion. No need to risk he’s own skin. Few security points will be able to stop a high-speed car. Killing a few dozen bystanders along the way with the front bumper will be added sport.

Sure, this could be done with today’s automobiles, but it will be so much easier after Detroit does all the hard work. I have no idea how to prevent it.

[John Jamieson]

This scares me, much more than plane hijackings.

[irgbar-man]

And I had just reached the end of my list of things to worry about ....

[Libloather]

When people dream this crap up, do they see colors?

[John Jamieson]

Sorry!

[John Jamieson]

Mostly, red.

[Willie Green]

I have no idea how to prevent it.

What is High Speed Ground Transportation?

High-speed ground transportation (HSGT)-- a family of technologies ranging from upgraded existing railroads to magnetically levitated vehicles-- is a passenger transportation option that can best link cities lying about 100-500 miles apart. Common in Europe ( http://mercurio.iet.unipi.it/home.htm) and Japan (http://www.japanrail.com),HSGT in the United States already exists in the Northeast Corridor (http://www.amtrak.com/news/pr/atk9936.html) between New York and Washington, D.C. and will soon serve travelers between New York and Boston. 

HSGT is self-guided intercity passenger ground transportation that is time competitive with air and/or auto on a door-to-door basis for trips in the approximate range of 100 to 500 miles. This is market-based, not a speed based definition. It recognizes that the opportunities and requirements for HSGT differ markedly among different pairs of cities. High-speed ground transportation (HSGT) is a family of technologies ranging from upgraded steel-wheel-on-rail railroads to magnetically levitated vehicles.

The Federal Railroad Administration has designated a variety of high density transportation corridors within our nation for development of HSGT:

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For more information, please visit the Federal Railroad Administration’s (FRA’s) High Speed Ground Transportation Website

[John Jamieson]

Yah, sure Willie; that'll fix it! Why didn't I think of that; outlaw cars.

[Cachelot]

Steering, shifting, throttle, baking, etc will all become electronically controlled.

Baking?

But seriously, if you have a nifty idea for a good terrorist attack, you may want to not publish it on a forum teeming with misc Nazis and jihadists. Too late for you, of course, but maybe that little red "loose lips" thing should be made in flashing fonts.

[John Jamieson]

We might have been in better shape for 9/11 is someone had pointed out the problem on FR. I think the bad guys are thinking about this more than we are.

[John Jamieson]

None, but planes, yes. Practice makes perfect.

Junk yard wars did something similar a few weeks back. Took guys 8 hours to take control of junk cars.

[Democrats are liars]

Arabfat just put in the first order for 100 cars!

[supercat]

How much practice do you have driving RC cars?

I work with automatic guided vehicles. The fastest of these travel at about 3mph. While there is less space around them than with an automobile on the highway, controlling the vehicle manually from outside (with a handheld controller) is tough even at 2.5mph. At 50mph, I really don't think anyone's going to be able to control a car remotely with anything resembling the precision required.

[Willie Green]

Why didn't I think of that; outlaw cars.

I wouldn't go that far.
But hey... YOU'RE the technophobe on this thread, not me.

[John Jamieson]

Maybe we could add a new feature to lojack?

[John Jamieson]

At first they'll probably have to start close, line up slow and hit the throttle, for a straight line hit.

[Texas_Longhorn]

Once this happens ONE time and it makes the news...anyone who sees a car driving without anyone at the wheel will simply push it off the road. I think this is WAY WAY down the list of the different ways they can "hit" us.

[John Jamieson]

Can't happen then, oh, goody. Guess all the smart bomb stuff, terrain following etc, doesn't work either. No body in this county smart enough to do it.

[John Jamieson]

OK, nevermind!