Driving while blind

[bluebirdj]

My very mature senior mother is unwilling to curtail driving after dark, when she cannot see. I do not want to remove her car from her, but....

Is anyone aware of a device that can disable ignition function during the hours of darkness? If not, would someone care to design one....?

Thanks

[shorod]

The design should be pretty simple, a relay, photocell, op amp IC set up as a comparator with hysteresis. You could wire up the relay as a starter disable, or if you're concerned she may start the car before dark and leave it running, then you could install the relay on the fuel pump (assuming a modern fuel injected vehicle). If she parks in a garage or brightly lit parking area, you probably wouldn't want the starter disable, but you'd need to be careful with the fuel pump route as having a car stall while driving (assuming she were still driving it after sundown, or a storm rolls in) could be a safety issue. Therefore you'd want a warning buzzer or something that would sound before the fuel were cut.

Maybe the simplest approach, and most difficult to defeat, would be to wire a relay in to the fuel pump circuit that opens when the headlights are turned on. Assuming the car has manually operated headlights, the safety concerns would be precluded as long as she is aware the device is installed. As it starts to get dark she'll know if she turns the headlights on the car will stall, giving her plenty of time (in theory) to pull off and park the car in a safe area. Of course it could also encourage her to drive without headlights.... You'd also want to have a sticker in the car that would make the feature known to anyone else who may borrow the car.

-Rod

[Joseph812]

People, don't forget about the importance of a clean windshield.

[shorod]

Hunh? How does this relate to the thread?

-Rod

[Blt2Lst]

Originally Posted by shorod

Hunh? How does this relate to the thread?

-Rod

A clean windshield does make it easier to see at night especially with headlights coming at you and clean side windows help to see what's in the mirrors clearer.
Maybe it's just an age thing, it didn't bother me as much when I was younger but now it does and I am not even that old yet, or so I think.

Just my