This summer, Jared Barris, the grandson of Batmobile creator George Barris, unveiled the Ford F-150 Crimefighter at San Diego Comic-con. Tuxedo black with Ferrari red striping and tail fins, the Crimefighter looks like a Bat truck, but unfortunately does not have a Bat Computer or other high tech advancements to help fight crime.
Enter the Vauxhall Astra Sports Tourer. On the outside, the British car looks like a low-slung minivan, but it’s what’s on the inside that matters.
- Hi-def cameras atop the vehicle provide 360-degree filming of its surroundings.
- An onboard computer receives video feeds from closed circuit TV images from anywhere in town.
- The internal camera will capture images of the arrestee’s face, and facial recognition software compares the image with a national database. The car is a mobile wi-fi hotspot with blazing speed.
- A black box in the car, similar to those in planes, captures all the information to a central server.
- As officers drive the streets, information on neighborhoods and individuals living near their location are displayed.
- Onboard software shows trends and predicts crimes before they happen.
- Top speed of 122mph.
Even if it comes in black, it still wouldn’t suit Batman.
Vauxhall, a subsidiary of General Motors, supplies the UK with more than 70 percent of their police cars.
