Tuesday, July 29, 2008

Mombasa teen creates mobile phone-based anti-theft device and vehicle tracking system


With car giants spilling billions of dollars in making their vehicles safer against theft, the feat of this African teen comes as a sheer shock. With no formal electronics training Morris Mbetsa, an 18 year old self-taught inventor from the coastal tourist town of Mombasa on the Indian Ocean, has invented the “Block & Track”, has created a mobile phone-based anti-theft device and vehicle tracking system.


Through a combination of voice, DTMF and SMS text messages, the real-time system uses a cell-based phone service to carry codes and messages that allow control of some of the vehicles’ electrical systems including the ignition to manage vehicle activation and disabling remotely in real time.

The system apparently also features the capacity to poll the vehicle owner by mobile phone for permission to start when the ignition is turned in real time as well as eavesdrop on conversation in the vehicle. Mbetsa is now looking for funding to commercially develop his proof of concept and launch it in commercial markets and we certainly hope that one of the car giants rope him in and pay him his due.

Watch Mbetsa demo is creation in a video below.


Source: Engadget Mobile

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