Fiat Chrysler this week announced its 2017 Dodge Charger Pursuit, a car designed for law enforcement, is getting an “Officer Protection Package” via a software update. The technology is designed to prevent officers from being ambushed from behind.
The update, in partnership with InterMotive Inc., repurposes parking sensors to detect movement when the car is parked. The protection package is being rolled out as a free upgrade.
“While it does not replace vigilance, this technology acts as a second set of eyes and provides police officers with added peace of mine when they are in a parked Charger Pursuit,” explained Jeff Kommo, Fiat Chrysler’s VP of sales in the U.S.
Once the new feature is active, the car will blurt out a chime, lock the doors, and roll up the windows if the sensors detect motion. The officer inside the car will also immediately get a live view of what’s tripping the sensor via the Charger Pursuit’s in-dash display.
It could save lives
According to the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund, 64 officers were shot and killed nationwide in 2016, 21 of whom were killed in “ambush-style” attacks. With the new feature in place, officers will have another set of eyes to protect them from such ambushes.
Law enforcement will be able to install the new feature by plugging in the InterMotive module to the Charger Pursuit’s ODBII port.
