Putting the Brakes on Dents

OK - getting door dings in a crowded parking lot may not be the worst problem motorists face, but it can be a frustrating one. And since necessity is typically the mother of invention, a German auto component company called Kiekert AG, in conjunction with students at Cologne’s Erzbischoefliche Liebfrauenschule business school, has created what is essentially an auto-braking system for car doors. Called “i-protect,” it scans input provided by proximity sensors and engages a mechanism whenever necessary to prevent doors from being inadvertently slammed into parked vehicles, garage walls or other obstructions as they’re being opened. According to Dr. Karl Krause, Kiekert’s CEO, the technology could eliminate millions of irritating and often costly dings and dents and help reduce costly insurance claims. No word yet, however, when the system will be introduced, how much it will cost and which new vehicles might offer it.