LED-encrusted speed bump flattens out when you're not flat-out

Speed bumps are supposed to punish the speeders and minimally offend those abiding by the legal limits. But, as all drivers know, crossing the things sucks at any speed and, regardless of how brightly painted they are, they're easy to miss until you're finding out the hard way just what kind of suspension travel your ride offers. A smarter bump from designers Jae-yun Kim and Jong-Su Lee could be the answer. Unlike the ones we've covered in the past, this one stays up all the time, using a small damper inside to flatten out when a car drives over it at low speed. The higher force applied by a faster car would prevent the bump from lowering and, presumably, ruin that dastardly speeder's day. The things are also festooned with LEDs on the front, back, and sides, which might just mean you'd be able to see this one in time to save your dubs from destruction.

[Via Techie Diva]

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 13th 2008 10:38PM]

http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/12/12/power-generating-piezoelectric-road-will-be-tested-next-month-in/

[J1000 Posted Dec 12th 2008 10:46AM]

I give it a week before it breaks.

[J1000 Posted Dec 12th 2008 10:47AM]

I give it a week before it breaks.

[UnixSystemsEngineer Posted Dec 12th 2008 10:55AM]

The Engadget commenting system?

[victorstuber Posted Dec 12th 2008 7:05PM]

lol its funny, because the engadget comment system sucks lol

[rcappo Posted Dec 12th 2008 10:51AM]

The one good thing about living in Michigan/Ohio vs Arizona is the great reduction in the number of speed bumps. Speed bumps and snow plows don't go together very well.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 12th 2008 12:18PM]

We have pot holes in MI that do quite a nice job of slowing people down and breaking cars. So we dont need as many speed bumps.

[Rik Posted Dec 12th 2008 11:28AM]

Great! So I can race accross it with my 200kg motorcycle at twice the speed limit!

When are these things coming!?

[pretol Posted Dec 12th 2008 12:40PM]

No thanks. This is another one of over complexing ideas.

This is all great. Until taxpayers have to pay 5000 dollars/bump, and then maintenance of 100$/month. And some inventor makes millions of "free" money for his awesome and original invention.

Remember, you're (the tax payer) the one that's going to pay for it. And you are going to buy it for the most outrageous price, because your government thinks that tax money grows on trees.

[rant mode off]

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 12th 2008 2:23PM]

Or you could just drive around them like everyone else.

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 12th 2008 4:00PM]

Could some kind of hydraulic system be used instead? The weight of slow moving vehicles could push the bump down (speeding vehicles, of course, would still get the full effect). It may not be simple to design, but it wouldn't require electricity.

[d889 Posted Dec 12th 2008 4:01PM]

OR, just accelerate, i can barely feel speed bumps at 50+ mph, i love driving a truck haha

[kingu Posted Dec 13th 2008 3:06AM]

So i was _plowing_ through a neighborhood the other day, and will you believe a kid _stained_ my bumper?

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 13th 2008 2:40PM]

Well I give this one an A+ for safety!

[(Unverified) Posted Dec 18th 2008 2:58PM]

Speed bumps were designed to slow traffic down to speeds between 0-15 mph.