A vehicle theft-prevention apparatus can include a locking mechanism with an engagement component. The locking mechanism can be engaged via a first action to apply a force on the vehicle when in an engaged state. The locking mechanism can disengage, via a second action, to withdraw the force from the vehicle when in the engaged state. The locking mechanism can maintain a current state of the force in response to the first action and the second action when in a disengaged state. One or more computing devices can receive a command to enable or disable the locking mechanism. In response to receiving the command, the computing device can cause the engagement component to transition the locking mechanism from the disengaged state to the engaged state or from an engaged state to a disengaged state.

A vehicle theft-prevention system can include a plurality of sensors configured to sense measurements proximate to a vehicle and a body configured to secure to a window of the vehicle. The body can include a wireless transceiver and at least one computing device coupled to the plurality of sensors and the wireless transceiver. The at least one computing device can be configured to receive, via the wireless transceiver, an indication to enter an armed mode from an unarmed mode. The at least one computing device can be configured to, in response to the indication, transition to the armed mode, wherein transitioning to the armed mode comprises setting a configuration of at least one property of a subset of the plurality of sensors.

A vehicle theft-prevention apparatus can include a slip clutch mechanism, a locking mechanism, and a cylindrical body including a first portion and a second portion. The first portion can be configured to rotate about the second portion. The locking mechanism can be configured to engage based on rotation of the first portion relative to the second portion in a first direction, and disengage based on a rotation of the first portion relative to the second portion in a second direction. The slip clutch mechanism can be configured to prevent the locking mechanism from further engaging from rotation in the first direction relative to the second portion based on a magnitude of force applied.

A vehicle theft-prevention apparatus can include a body, a computing device, sensors, and a speaker. The body can include a first and second portion and a light emitting portion. The first portion can move relative to the second portion. The second portion can include perforations to facilitate sound transmission from the speaker. The light emitting portion can be positioned between the first portion and the second portion. The light emitting portion can be configured to emit light based on a signal from the computing device. A lens can include a concentric structure protruding from the body. The lens can cover the sensor.

A sensing device can include an accelerometer, a transceiver, and a computing device in communication with the accelerometer and transceiver. The computing device can transmit a first set of signals at a first power level to a remote device. The computing device can determine, via the accelerometer, a movement of the sensing device. The computing device can increase a power level for transmission from the first power level to a second power level in response to the movement. The computing device can transmit future signals at the second power level to the remote device.

There is provided a method to stop or slow down a vehicle in an emergency, said vehicle comprising an emergency stop system able to cause the vehicle to stop or slow down, the emergency stop system being able to receive stop signals from users that are not driving the vehicle, the method comprising the steps of a) the emergency stop system receiving a first signal to stop the vehicle, b) the emergency stop system immediately starting a timing procedure, c) the emergency stop system, within a predetermined time window, receiving a predetermined number of further signals to stop the vehicle, and d) the emergency stop system, if the required number of signals has been received, immediately causing the vehicle to stop or slow down.

A vehicle theft-prevention apparatus can include at least one computing device coupled to at least one sensor and a wireless transceiver. The at least one sensor configured to sense measurements proximate to a vehicle. The at least one computing device can be configured to read a plurality of first measurements of the at least one sensor at a predetermined frequency, where the at least one sensor is located in a first position of the vehicle. The at least one computing device can be configured to receive a plurality of second measurements from at least one additional theft-prevention apparatus, where the at least one additional theft-prevention apparatus is located at a second position in the vehicle. The at least one computing device can determine that a person has entered the vehicle based on at least one of: the plurality of first measurements and the plurality of second measurements.

A sensing device can include at least one sensor, positioning circuitry, a transceiver, and a computing device in communication with the at least one sensor, the positioning circuitry, and the transceiver. The computing device can determine a location of a vehicle via the positioning circuitry. The computing device can determine that a point of interest (POI) associated with a predefined category of POIs corresponds to the location. The computing device, via the transceiver, can determine that a person is moving away from the vehicle based on a measurement associated with a remote device. The computing device can enter into an armed mode in response to the determinations. The computing device can detect an intrusion into a vehicle while in the armed mode based at least in part on measurements from the at least one sensor. The computing device can generate an alarm in response to the intrusion.

A vehicle theft-prevention apparatus can include a wireless transceiver, a plurality of sensors configured to sense measurements proximate to a vehicle, and at least one computing device coupled to the plurality of sensors and the wireless transceiver. The at least one computing device can be configured to receive, via the wireless transceiver, an indication to enter an armed mode from an unarmed mode. In response to entering the armed mode, the at least one computing device can set a configuration of at least one property of a subset of the plurality of sensors. The at least one computing device can receive, via the wireless transceiver, a second indication to enter a special mode from the armed mode. In response to entering the special mode, the at least one computing device can alter the configuration of the at least one property of the subset of the plurality of sensors.

A system can include at least one server in communication with a vehicle theft-prevention apparatus that comprises a plurality of sensors and at least one computing device. The at least one server can be configured to receive an authentication request from a particular application executed on a mobile device comprising user credentials. The at least one server can authenticate the authentication request as a particular user account, where the particular user account is associated with the vehicle theft-prevention apparatus. The at least one server can receive instructions from the particular application that the mobile device has moved outside of a geofence associated with the vehicle theft-prevention apparatus. The at least one server can send a command to the vehicle theft-prevention apparatus to enter an armed mode.