Radio-less self contained apparatus for rapidly thwarting theft of large trucks by terrorists or hijackers

Apparatus for thwarting theft of a truck having a cab with a first area within which a truck driver is present and a second area which may be occupied by a passenger comprising:

• (a) a truck disable device;
• (b) sensor means for producing maintain-truck-operative input signals in response to data inputted into said sensor means by said truck driver during operation of said truck;
• (c) data processor means coupled to said sensor means for establishing a succession of various test intervals during operation of said truck and for enabling actuation of said truck disable device in the absence of receipt of said maintain-truck-operative input signals within a given test intervals;
• and
• (d) occupant control means for preventing a second person from occupying said second area during ongoing operation of said truck.

Apparatus for thwarting theft of a truck having a cab with a first area within which an authorized truck driver is present and a second area which may be occupied by a passenger comprising:

• (a) a truck disable device;
• (b) sensor means for producing maintain-truck-operative input signals in response to data inputted into said sensor means by said authorized truck driver during operation of said truck;
• (c) data processor means coupled to said sensor means for establishing a succession of various test intervals, each being less than four minutes in duration, during operation of said truck and for actuating said truck disable device in the absence of receipt of said maintain-truck-operative input signals within a test intervals of less than four minutes in duration;
• and
• (d) wherein said sensor means includes a biometric sensor selected from the group consisting of hand readers, fingerprint readers, and facial feature readers, thus enabling driver generation of said input signals easily and rapidly without the driver being distracted from viewing the road for the sake of safety.

Apparatus for thwarting theft of a truck comprising:

• (a) a truck disable device;
• (b) sensor means for producing maintain-truck-operative input signals in response to data inputted into said first sensor means by said authorized truck driver;
• (c) data processor means coupled to said first sensor means for establishing a succession of test intervals during operation of said truck and for enabling actuation of said truck disable device in the absence of receipt of said maintain-truck-operative input signals within one or more of said test intervals;
• and
• (d) wherein said sensor means includes a keyboard mounted upon a steering wheel of said truck for ease of entry of a code into said data processor means.