Few things in life are as annoying as taking care of your car, going out for it and see that someone has scratched you. This happens mainly because the average person has the spatial awareness of an elephant on an LSD trip. Or is it because you did something wrong, that you deserve to have rude words recorded on you. If you’re the victim of a scratch-related vendetta, fear not, it looks like BMW has a solution.
The Bavarian house recently presented a patent for a scratch detection system capable of detecting a scratch. In principle, after knowing that the slim body has been damaged, it will sound an alarm and send a signal, which we assume would go directly to the owner’s mobile. In fact, BMW already has a robust digital key based on a smartphonewith which it could directly notify said device, according to the patent revealed by The Drive taken from the China National Intellectual Property Administration.
The system consists of a camera that can record the malefactor responsible for the scratch and a storage device (a memory) that can store said footage and all the necessary details. The patent is attractive in its simplicity. BMW basically apply a “scratch sensitive skin” to the car. A constant electrical current passes continuously through that skin, and the car’s computer brain can detect when there’s a change in current. That’s when the alert system and cameras are activated.
If you drive while the vehicle is scratched, you will receive an audible and visual alert on the instrument panel. Or, you may just have watched or heard the scraping noise. This system is really only applicable when you are not with the car. Will BMW put it into production? It doesn’t seem like a difficult system to design, but it’s more likely to be an option on high-end models like the 7 Series or its X7 SUV derivative, or one that owners have a stronger emotional bond with, as it may well be. the BMW M4 CSL.
It makes sense that this patent originated in China. Although it is a huge country, big cities like Shanghai, Beijing, Chengdu and Guangzhou are about to explode. The local economy is doing exceptionally well, which means almost everyone can afford a new car. Shanghai is now also the city with the most millionaires, so there must be thousands of expensive BMWs out there. Combine that with limited parking space, and you’re sure to get plenty of scratches.