VOXX (Audiovox) is one of the first car audio companies to offer a system to guard against children being left in cars that can overheat.
Its new Baby on Board child seat sensor sends an alert to the driver if he or she moves away from the car while a child is still in the car seat.
From 1998-2013 over 600 children died from heat stroke after being left in a car. An average dashboard can reach up to 200 degrees, radiating heat through the vehicle, said VOXX.
The system uses a Bluetooth proximity sensor and a weight-sensing system that becomes active when the child occupies the car seat. It communicates with a key fob carried by the driver.
VOXX says the system takes only a few minutes to set up.
“Baby on Board is the newest addition to our line of products designed to help provide a safer vehicle environment,” said Tom Malone, President of VOXX Electronics. “This product is great for all new parents and at such an affordable price is a perfect gift for grandparents, babysitters and anyone you trust your children with.”
About 29% of children left in a vehicle who died were in the care of someone other than their parents at the time.
Baby on Board will be available this summer at $59.95.
All it takes is one time……. I know that I have a routine and I can remember when my wife had me drop off my kid at preschool and I was almost to work and 5 miles past the preschool when I realized what I was doing……. This device is not for “bad parents” who leave the kids in the car to go smoke crack. This is for the mom or dad who is out of their routine and heading to work to give the biggest presentation of their life and they just forget. It could possibly happen to anyone under the (very wrong) circumstances……..
How about a key fob that puts out 200,000 volts when the parent leaves the car with a kid in a child seat instead?
Using the stats given, that means on average 40 children per year die from being left in a hot car. Therefore something like a half a billion kids did not. Do you really think the 40 or so parents who need to buy this will?
Hi Billy. Maybe. But, I find this interesting because it is the beginning of what they are calling the “Internet of Things” in the car–sensors linked to other devices to create new uses. I think we’ll be seeing more of this in the car, beyond the obvious self-driving or autonomous car.