A biometric fingerprint reader that attaches to your alarm system...

http://www.pistonheads.com/news/defa...?storyId=16674

It doesn't look like this is available yet, but when it comes out, I'll be modding this into the spot next to my VSA switch. Is it necessary? Nope. Is it awesome? Oh heck yeah!

 

Checked your link and it looks like a good idea. But immediately started thinking about what problems this could cause or fix. There is a measuring system for biometric systems. There is the False rejection rate (FRR) (Type I errors) which is when the system rejects authorized individuals. The False acceptance rate (FAR) (Type II errors) which is when the system accepts unauthorized individuals. So the system can at times depending on how good it is accept everyone or reject everyone. Systems can be adjusted or corrected for either of these but you want a balance with as little of each.

The measurement of how good a system is is the Crossover error rate (CER) where graphing the False rejection rate and the False acceptance rate. Where the two lines meet is the Crossover error rate. Systems with a low C.E.R. will perform better. See link below for an example of this:
http://www.sibelle.info/oped4.htm

Sorry about getting all technical on you but I don't want you to install something feeling your secure and then find out it is accepting people it should not be. Or that you get into your car to drive away and it won't accept you and won't start!! So the quality of a biometric system is very important and any system should have these measurement values available for you to judge it on.

 

I appreciate the detail you provided for the biometric systems. I've actually been an installed for commercial biometric systems for years now and understand the error rates and crossover points. However, since none of this data is currently available for this product, there's no way to make an informed decision.

Conceptually, however, there is room to speculate on its usefulness. I think it would end up getting in the way 95% of the time. I mean how often do you really want to add another step to getting in the car and driving away. BUT what would be cool would be to have a hidden switch for the device that allowed you to turn it on and off for extra security in certain situations but ease of use the rest of the time. But then again, if the thief knows how to bypass the transponder key system in the TL, then an after market alarm with biometric input won't be a problem either.

I like the idea more for the tech effect than for the actual usefulness.

 

Make it start your car and I'm all over that....lol

That would be sweet, stick your finger on it and your car starts!

 

I wonder if you could tie the biometric switch into the remote start circuit of your alarm, then just keep your key in your pocket. It seems doable.

 

This is an awesome idea! I bought a fingerprint deadbolt for my front door, and people have had to swipe their finger up to 20-30 times for it to get a good reading. That would piss me off for it to take 10 mins to start my car!!

 

Yeah... it's all about the accuracy of the unit. Some are great, others, not so much. The slide-type reader in my Thinkpad seems to be pretty accurate... maybe that's a better design than the press-type sensors.