Device in development fires electromagnetic pulse that tricks ebikes and scooters into shutting off

Police officers in Britain could be armed with Ghostbusters-style devices that fire electromagnetic rays to shut down the engines of ebikes being used in a crime.

Gavin Stephens, chair of the National Police Chiefs’ Council (NPCC), said the weapon was in development and could be months away from being available, though it is expected to be longer than that.

He said it would be housed in a backpack, reminiscent of the equipment used in the Ghostbusters series of movies. It could tackle crime linked to newer vehicles such as electric bikes and electric scooters.

The device is being developed with the Defence Science and Technology Lab, which is overseen by the Ministry of Defence, alongside other technological innovations that British police are hoping to use. It would fire an electromagnetic pulse at a vehicle that an officer wants to stop because the rider is suspected of involvement in a crime.

The electromagnetic weapon works by tricking the engine into thinking it is overheating, which shuts down the engine and brings the vehicle to a stop. It requires a line of sight to work, Stephens said.

  • @[email protected]English
    2•7 months ago

    To be classed as a ebike legally in the UK. Where we are talking about.

    It must make a max speed (15mph) i think max power ( 250w for 2 wheel higher for 3 wheeler) and be classed as electrically assisted. IE peddling has to be an option both when powered and not powered.

    If any of those rules are not met. It is legally an electric motorbike. And must meet the laws for a motorbike. Including a licence.

    As I can’t drive due to vision. Whe it was a little better I was looking into the rules of making a ebike conversion. This was a while ago. So some things may have changed a little. But the ebike vs motorbike requiring a licence principal still applies.

    Hence why things like escooter are basically illegal on public roads. (With a few experimental exception s for hire ones. That require a depriving licence.

    • @CortEnglish
      1•7 months ago

      I don’t think you’re wrong about any of the rules or laws, and I don’t generally like to conflate electric motorcycles with ebikes; my point was that persons fleeing the scene of a crime may not be following those rules and laws for ebikes.

      • @[email protected]English
        1•7 months ago

        True. But that means the system would work. As a e scooter or e motorbike would just roll to a stop.

        But OP was specifically talking about the ebikes as mentioned in the article. And by UK legal definition an illegal ebike. Is not an ebike. So anything defined as one would still be able to escape and likely faster then the max 15mph electrically assisted is allowed to operate at.

        Of course decrepit old facts like me would likely go slower if riding one was still viable safty was.

        But yeah its all silly really yes ebikes as mentioned in the article have other options.

        But the current e scooter craze where folks often ignore the law and its there actually trying to shut it down makes more sense. I doubt the article written was actually very informed about the differences.

        Also I have to wonder about e motorbikes. These things legally(licenced driver) or illegally self built (yep I considered hiden switch ideas that could make it from ebike to an off road e moter bike for fun) but they tend to be pretty darn fast. And have insane acceleration speeds when built to be an emoterbike legally or not.

        So I wonder weather a cop would be able to keep a directional microwave antenna pointed at the system long enough to work.