'Black box' will prove who's right

Pretoria student Molebatsi Mochocho has won R150 000 to develop his Motor Monitor Cam.

Pretoria student Molebatsi Mochocho has won R150 000 to develop his Motor Monitor Cam.

Published Dec 13, 2013

Share

Ever been in a collision and wished you had proof that it wasn’t your fault?

The Motor Monitor Cam, being developed by Pretoria student Molebatsi Mochocho, may be the answer.

Mochocho recently won a R150 00 seed grant for the innovation, in the third annual SAB Foundation Social Innovation Awards.

The device is essentially a “black box” for vehicles, in the form of a video recording device package installed by vehicle owners to help deter and act against road-related incidents (such as road rage and collisions).

FLASH DRIVE

Footage and images are recorded inside and outside the vehicle, and stored on a flash drive for uploading to an external server should the need arise. The system includes five cameras and a display monitor, and will work only when it detects movement inside or outside the car.

“The idea of inventing this device came to mind after a collision with a bakkie, and the subsequent denial of fault by the bakkie’s owner at the local police station,” said Mochocho.

“It will help drivers prove their innocence through footage always available from the device’s internal server.”

The technology is still in the development phase, with Mochocho expecting to finalise a prototype by March. Funding will be key in commercialising the project, with Mochocho appealing to possible funders to call him at 082 807 1880 for sponsorship opportunities. - Star Motoring

Follow Minesh Bhagaloo on Twitter.

Related Topics: