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Gabriel: The One Guardian Angel Keychain You'll Want to Ivest In If You Have a Car and an Infant

By erika - January 10, 2014

in Cars

Much like the life-saving iPhone app we featured last March, the Gabriel car set was created in a bit of an unconventional way. Similarly so, the idea that was unveiled can help prevent a multitude of accidental deaths for years to come. Last July, Opel—a car manufacturer based in Germany—conducted a competition calling for designers and car drivers to come up with ideas for new options to be hosted in Opel's cars. One designer came up with a concept that helps drivers keep tabs on the car's interior temperature in case a child is left inside.

The statistics are scary—an average of 20 children in Europe die from car-induced heatstroke every year, according to Opel. Add that to the 38 deaths on average in the U.S. each year, and we've got a problem long overdue for a solution.

They received over 1,350 ideas and cut that list down to 70 designs. The winner: Kenny de Vlieger, proud father of two sons. His design features a keychain that's wirelessly connected to a pressure- and temperature-sensitive pad inside the car. In a collaboration with LDV United, Zenso and Achilles Design, de Vlieger and Opel made his design a reality.

Kenny de Vlieger and his family

de Vlieger calls his device a guardian angel of sorts—and rightly so, considering the lives it can save. This video goes more in-depth on the ins and outs of the design:

The key ring is wirelessly connected to the pressure-sensitive pad that's located in the back seat of the car. If the driver leaves the car and a child is left inside, an initial warning alert will sound. If the child is left in the car after the alert, the mat will keep track of the temperature inside of the vehicle. If it rises above 28 degrees Celsius, a heat alert will go off signaling the driver to return to the car immediately.

The design hasn't hit mass production yet, but we're excited to see what this means for the future of car safety. If anything, the sense of control is worth it to those with one (or more) youngins in the bunch.

Keep up to date on Gabriel's progress here.

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C

10 years ago

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Here's a better idea.
A key chain which is attached to your child at all times.
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slippyfish

10 years ago

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567 children have died after being left in cars in the U.S. since 1998.

Reading through some of the cases (definitely heartbreaking) about 10% are due to complete neglect, with booze sometimes being a factor. Others are due to miscommunication or a secondary caregiver literally not checking or forgetting to look in a car seat. Nearly all of the deaths result in a felony charge, aggravated manslaughter or child abandonment.
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Scott

10 years ago

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First of all, I think everyone commenting should get off their high f***ing horses and admit that everyone makes mistakes, even the best of parents. I have never made this one or anything close to as tragic, and I hope I never do, but the sleeplessness that comes with a newborn does funny things to people. If this saves even one kid from the mistake of being "forgotten" in the car I'd say it's worth it.

On the other hand, if people use this as a tool to gauge how long it is OK to leave your kid in the car, then it's failed. I think this is where the lawsuit would come in. Why not start "signaling the driver to return to the car immediately" if the kid is left there, regardless of temperature?
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slippyfish

10 years ago

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This product has huge screaming idiotic lawsuit written all over it. It will be even dumber than the hot McDonalds coffee scalding lawsuit.

"If it rises above 28 degrees Celsius, a heat alert will go off signaling the driver to return to the car immediately"...

PRICELESS
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Mitch

10 years ago

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I agree with everyone. This is one of those issues that cant be solved by design or innovation. The solution is never leave your child in a car for a period of time.
As a father, I understand leaving your kid in the car while filling up gas, running back in the house because you forgot your wallet or something. But thats the extent of it.
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dongzo

10 years ago

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I'm sure each death is tragic in its own way, but <200 deaths per year worldwide is completely insignificant compared to death and injury due to traffic accidents . Education, not a wireless gadget, is the solution.

I bet some really good ideas got ignored in favour of this specious nonsense,
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Ryan

10 years ago

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This seems like a sociological issue rather than a product issue. Not every problem in a society has a physical product driven solution and this is a prime example.

First, the parent willing to leave their child in a car at all, never mind in deadly temperatures will not suddenly change their mind because they got an alert from their key chain.

Second, if you're neglectful enough to "forget" that you brought your child with you while running errands; you are not fit to have a child and it should be removed promptly.
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Matt

10 years ago

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The solution to this problem is to NOT LEAVE YOUR BABY UNATTENDED. In some places it's illegal to do so.

The marketing here, as a tool cautious parents should acquire is a bit wrong-headed. This is a tool facilitating neglect of children.
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Marcus

10 years ago

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Um the problem isn't the car getting too hot when the kids are in them. The problem is that the kids are being left in the car. Take your kids out of the car!
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