sciencetech-blog

comments

You may have experienced the frustration of being slapped with a parking fine or finding your car clamped after leaving it parked precariously for a couple of minutes.

But now a high-tech car sticker that's designed to be stuck to a car's windscreen, could help motorists avoid such a situation by allowing a traffic warden to get in touch with them.

The TowStop sticker sends a text message to a driver when touched by a traffic warden, to allow motorists to send a reply and give them time to move their car promptly. 

Scroll down for video 

A high-tech car sticker (pictured) that's designed to be stuck to a car's windscreen, could help motorists avoid parking fines and having their car towed away, by allowing a traffic warden to get in touch with them

It's designed to save drivers time and money by giving them a chance to move their car instead of having it towed away but relies on the good will of traffic wardens.

Frankfurt-based IT consultant, Daniel Kalliontzis, came up with the idea and is raising funds on Indiegogo to put his €54 (£43) sticker into production. 

Will this stop your car from ever being towed?

The sticker displays a message from the car's owner telling a parking warden that they are returning to their car. In Germany, where traffic wardens have to choose the cheapest and fastest way of moving a car, it could stop drivers parked in precarious places getting fines - but traffic laws vary in different countries

MailOnline has asked the Department of Transport whether the stickers could be used in the UK to avoid motorists getting fines (stock image)

Car owners can buy the sticker and place it inside their car's windscreen, having set it up with vital information, such as their phone number.

The slim design will include a sensor that when touched by a traffic warden, will send a text message warning a driver about an imminent fine.

The message will ask them to move their car immediately.  

The driver could then type a reply for the warden using their smartphone, which will appear on the sticker's screen.

They may choose to write something along the lines of 'back in two minutes' in a bid to avoid a fine.

The smart sticker system will rely on the good will of traffic wardens and critically, a German law.

The law states: 'An officer has to choose the most efficient and inexpensive way for the car owner to remove the vehicle.'

It could be cheaper for the authorities to contact the driver than to tow his car.

MailOnline asked the Department of Transport whether the sticker could be used in the UK in a similar way.

A spokesman said:'In England there is no legal obligation to warn the motorist before issuing the ticket. However, a local authority does have the discretion not to issue a ticket if they believe the situation deserves some leniency or want to issue a warning.

'If the government wanted to force councils to warn motorists before issuing tickets we would need to change the law.'

At the time of writing, Mr Kalliontzis has raised just over €3,000 (£2,362) of his €50,000 (£39,381) goal on Indiegogo.

If he manages to raise the money, the stickers will be shipped in June 2015. It appears that car owners using the smart system could get some unnecessary warning messages, because anyone could touch the smart sticker.