Posted on 01/17/2016 4:42:18 PM PST by Graybeard58
This document establishes new Federal motor vehicle safety standard (FMVSS) No. 401; Internal trunk release, that requires all new passenger cars with trunks be equipped with a release latch inside the trunk compartment beginning September 1, 2001.
Instead of a release latch, this document also permits the installation of an alternative system such as a passive trunk release system which would detect the presence of a human in the trunk and would automatically unlatch the trunk lid. During the summer of 1998, eleven children died when they inadvertently trapped themselves in the trunk of a car. This new standard will provide children and others who find themselves trapped inside a passenger car trunk a chance to get out of the trunk alive.
When my g/kids were smaller, I made a little game of it. First showing them the latch and then, one at a time locking them in the trunk, to see if they could get out on their own - they did, quite easily.
I don't know which cars are equipped with the "Passive release system", if any.
Another piece of electronics to jack up the price of your car and to add another point of failure.
The Mob’s gonna HATE THIS ONE!
>>>The Mob’s gonna HATE THIS ONE!<<<
Yeah, they’ll have to be sure their Victims are dead before they put them in the Trunk.
At least they won’t need to borrow a Knife from their Mother.
“Another piece of electronics to jack up the price of your car and to add another point of failure.”
Most are mechanical, and it’s not kids that have had their lives saved, but also kidnapped people.
(but I understand your instinct to blame government!)
I’ve always told my kids that there are actually GOOD THINGS that can come from the government...although on balance you just get bad things. For cars, they include collapsable steering columns, padded dashboards, crumple zones, and seat belts (but not air bags), among others.
It’s ok to be suspicious of government, but one still should try to keep an open mind - we’re probably nearing a million lives saved, just from reasonable automobile safety standards.
What kind of steampunk technology would do this with mechanical devices:
“Instead of a release latch, this document also permits the installation of an alternative system such as a passive trunk release system which would detect the presence of a human in the trunk and would automatically unlatch the trunk lid. “
“Detect”, “Automatically”....sounds electronic to me.
“”” Another piece of electronics to jack up the price of your car and to add another point of failure.”””
“Ready! Fire! Aim!”” Shooting from the mouth again?
I showed my sons this. The one on my jetta glows in the dark.
The ones I’ve seen are mechanical...note the word “permits”. It’s up to the manufacturer to pick the best option...as it should be.
Look up “inside trunk latch release images” to see some.
>>Look up “inside trunk latch release images†to see some.
I own cars. I know what the release looks like. They are a great idea. What I DON’T want is an automatic system.
Yes, the auto manufacturer decides, but that is not as it should be. The customer should decide. We pay for the car. If I don’t want an passive automatic trunk opener, I shouldn’t have to pay for it.
>>“Ready! Fire! Aim!â€â€ Shooting from the mouth again?
No. Did you read the article? The release handle is from 2001. They have been in cars for 15 years. They are not electronic. My post is about the electronic ones that are now an option for auto manufacturers to put in cars which will jack the price up. That’s all I was saying. Now, what is wrong with that statement?
We should be fighting air bags and the requirement to have data links to all vehicles - MUCH BIGGER FISH TO FRY.
>>We should be fighting air bags and the requirement to have data links to all vehicles - MUCH BIGGER FISH TO FRY.
I agree. But it is easier to keep new things out than it is to get rid of something that lets inattentive drivers hit stuff without killing themselves. The inattentive driver constituency is quite large and growing with each new piece of electronics that we can fit inside the passenger compartment of a car.
bttt
A classic example of dumb government. People only get put in trunks in the movies, and yet we have a law that there has to be a latch in there on the off chance that some kidnapper is a total idiot.
“Just a reminder or F.Y.I. Show your little ones where this latch is. It could save the life of one of them..”
It was also suggested by some that you show them how to unplug the connector to a tail light, if they are trapped in the trunk of a moving car, and tap the connector to the lamp in the Morse code for S.O.S. That way someone driving behind the car could notice and call police.
NOW they tell me!
Love, Billy Batts
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