How long does it take to stop a high-speed pursuit?
In our tests it has never taken more than eight seconds from the time of first contact until ignition shutdown. In most cases the pursuit never starts because we are able to shut the vehicle down as soon as it begins to accelerate.

Where is the P-CEL module installed in a vehicle?
It will be concealed inside the dashboard.

If someone goes to the trouble of finding it, can it be tampered with?
No. If it is disconnected, bypassed or tampered with in any way, the anti-theft system will automatically disable the vehicle's starter, ignition and fuel circuits.

How much will it cost?
We estimate it will add about $200.00 US to the cost of a new vehicle.

What will be the cost to the police for the controller and remote control?
Very little, about the same as the cost of renting a cellular telephone.

What happens if a P-CEL controller gets into the wrong hands?
The controller does not work unless a secret password is entered. A secondary security feature is the remote control unit. When not in use, this unit must be plugged into the side of the control panel for the panel to work. The remote control, in its final form, will be smaller than a pager and the officer should clip it to his belt when leaving the cruiser. It fits into a slot in the side of the control panel, where it completes the circuitry that operates the controller.

What prevents computer hackers from stopping vehicles by duplicating P-CEL signals?
All P-CEL signals will be securely encrypted and encoded.

What if someone steals the remote control and stops vehicles with that?
The remote control does not transmit directly to any vehicle, so it cannot be used by itself. Anyone stealing a remote control would find it completely useless.

Is it possible for the P-CEL signal to stop a police cruiser?
Yes, but only if the cruiser is stolen. When the remote control is removed from its slot, the cruiser becomes vulnerable to P-CEL signals like any other vehicle.

What happens when you press the Flash button?
The controller transmits a signal that will cause any receiving module to turn on its four-way flashers for 30 seconds. This signal can be either general or specific. If no descriptor keys are pushed, the signal will be picked up by all receivers within radio range, and every vehicle affected will turn on its four-way flashers. If you push the Red key and then the Flash button, you will get a response from only red vehicles. If you make it more specific and press both the Red and Van keys, only red minivans will respond. If you know the name of the manufacturer, you can press the appropriate letter key - "C" for Chev, "F" for Ford, etc. The net effect if you press all three descriptor keys is to narrow the field of vehicles to the point where you very seldom find more than one vehicle responding to your signal. If you do get more than one response, all you have to do is continue following your target vehicle at a safe distance until any other respondents are behind you. At high speed, that will happen within a few seconds.

What does the Slow button do?
A Flash signal followed by a Slow signal will interrupt the operation of the vehicle's fuel pump, giving the engine just enough fuel to keep it running at an idle for up to 45 seconds. If no other signal is received during that time, the module returns to dormant status and the vehicle proceeds on its way.
This feature can be used prior to sending a Stop signal in cases such as where the vehicle is crossing a long bridge. The officer cannot let it continue at high speed, but he also does not want it to stop while on the bridge, so he can keep it in Slow mode until it reaches a point where it can be stopped safely without causing a traffic tie-up. The Slow feature allows the officer to minimize traffic disruption.

What does the Stop button do?
A Flash signal followed by a Stop signal disconnects the target vehicle's ignition immediately. The ignition can be reactivated by pressing the Reset button at any time, but if that isn't done it reactivates automatically after 15 minutes. During that period the four-way flashers continue to function, but it will not start.

What does the Reset button do?
It cancels all signals and effects. The control panel stops transmitting signals, and any active modules return to dormant status.

What happens if you try to stop a vehicle that has been repainted?
You can enter only three descriptors - body style, colour and make. These are all optional, so what you do if you use all three identifiers and get no response is to cancel the colour key and go with the other two. If you still get no response, try pushing just the Flash button without adding any descriptors. If you still get no response, you know the vehicle is not equipped with a functioning P-CEL module and that you will have to stop it by other means if possible.

How can an officer drive safely at high speed and type at the same time?
During a high-speed pursuit the officer has only two buttons to push, and those are the ones nearest to him on the upper left of the control panel.

What prevents police from abusing this system?
Legislation making P-CEL mandatory would also mandate proper use of the system. Police officers or others using P-CEL for any unauthorized purpose would be subject to prosecution or disciplinary action.

The control panel is a small computer with an internal recording feature. Each police department will have to implement a strict code of conduct for P-CEL operation, making sure their officers are well trained in its use and know that it is to be used only in emergencies.

The recording feature will have other benefits as well. Its record of events can be used as evidence in court in cases where the exact time or officer conduct are in question. It will also come into play if an officer is injured or killed while checking a vehicle he has stopped. If he has followed the proper procedure before stopping the vehicle, the computer memory will contain three descriptors of the suspect vehicle along with a time code.

Does P-CEL cause any damage to a target vehicle?
No. All it does is operate the four-way flashers, restrict the fuel supply, or shut off the ignition. None of these functions cause any vehicle damage.

What happens to the steering and brake functions when a vehicle is disabled at high speed?
When the engine cuts out, it is like running out of gas; you simply coast to a stop. The steering and brakes remain fully functional until speed is reduced to 30 mph or less; there is no danger to the occupants because there is no loss of control. Car engines fail or run out of gas every day, yet you never hear of that causing an accident. The auto manufacturers would never design a vehicle that could not be brought to a safe stop if its engine failed.

How does the directional antenna work?
Each police cruiser will have two directional antennas, one facing forward and the other to the rear. Each one will broadcast in a half circle with a radius of 400 feet. The control panel will have a three-position antenna switch that the officer can use to direct the signal forward, backward, or in both directions.

Will this system be used to encroach on my civil rights? Is it not just more of "Big Brother" enabling the government to control my life?
P-Cel does nothing but improve public safety. Nobody has a constitutional right to drive. Driving is a privilege granted by the government, one that can be revoked for cause at any time. Nobody has the right to drive in a dangerous manner or to outrun police. These are serious criminal offences in any country.

Does this not give police far too much power?
It does not give them any legal powers they do not have already. Far too many people die every year because the police have no effective way to stop reckless drivers. Like a firearm, P-CEL is just another tool that the police can use within strict guidelines.

In jurisdictions where this is a concern, police may be very limited in their use of the P-CEL system. Each country, province or state may operate under different rules. The system offers that flexibility.

WHY DO I NEED A P-CEL UNIT?
No vehicle is immune to theft, so for someone to believe that their vehicle will never be involved in a chase is naive. Another point to consider is the fact that most vehicles have multiple owners over their life span. You may be a law abiding citizen, but how about the next owner of your vehicle?

Many people believe all high-speed chases involve stolen vehicles. The majority of vehicles attempting to flee from the police are driven by their owners or someone using the vehicle with the owner's permission, such as a family member. A vast majority of these are impaired drivers or people involved in other criminal activity.

A criminal will often lead the police on a short chase, during which time he discards the drugs or stolen property he is transporting. This is a very deliberate act on the part of the criminal, who would rather face a small fine for speeding than a lengthy jail term for more serious offences.

What are P-CEL's most important feature from the officer's point of view?
It is very simple to understand and operate. It is vehicle specific, with no detrimental effect on innocent motorists or their vehicles.

It is mounted in every patrol car, ready for use instantly. All present interception methods rely on backup, which is usually not available for many crucial minutes, if at all. 70% of pursuits end within 5 minutes, many of them in serious accidents, usually before backup can reach the scene. Also, backup often has difficulty reaching the scene as the scene is constantly shifting. The officer can operate the system from the safety of his cruiser, behind the fleeing vehicle, while driving at high speed.

Interception with P-CEL is almost immediate. A pursuit seldom lasts more than eight seconds, so that speeds do not reach excessive levels. Most pursuits never get started. There is no damage to the target vehicle or its occupants, which alleviates much of the concern about civil liability. Any loss of control at high speed by the fleeing vehicle is caused by the actions of the driver. P-CEL is simple vehicle-to-vehicle radio communication requiring no cellular systems or other infrastructure. It works anywhere and under any conditions. It does not rely on licence plate numbers, which are difficult to read and unreliable. It can be operated from a safe distance, unlike present-day methods that require the officer to perform dangerous driving feats at close range.

Would police ever stop the wrong vehicle by accident?
While the chances are slim, it will no doubt happen on rare occasions. If the wrong vehicle is inadvertently stopped, the consequences are very minor. No harm comes to the vehicle or its occupants and it is simply a matter of pressing the Reset button and apologizing for the inconvenience.

Why do we need such a system?
Driving is constantly becoming more dangerous; innocent people are dying every day, and the police have no way to stop it.

What will it take to have the P-CEL system implemented?
Every vehicle must be equipped with a P-CEL module - either installed new at the factory, or on a retrofit basis in the case of existing vehicles. This will have to be mandated by law or by insurance companies. Such legislation will only happen when police and the public demand it of their elected representatives.

Is there any other way P-CEL could become a reality?
Yes, it could find its way into vehicles as one of the world's most effective anti-theft systems, with the impetus coming from the insurance industry rather than legislation. In a number of countries insurance companies refuse to insure vehicles not equipped with approved anti-theft systems, and it is only a matter of time before that happens in North America. It is also possible that manufacturers will start to offer P-CEL as an option in their new vehicles.

When will P-CEL be ready for distribution?
We are ready now to begin negotiations with any government or auto manufacturer interested in implementing the system.