Nobody likes leaving valuables in their parked car, no matter how well those items may be hidden from passers-by. That's where the Boosted Safe comes in, as it's a vehicle-locked safe that can be disguised as a booster seat.
Invented by Utah-based entrepreneur Skyler Baird, the Boosted Safe is currently the subject of a Kickstarter campaign.
The 15-lb (6.8-kg) device is made of powder-coated 16-gauge steel, and features internal foam padding to hold delicate objects in place, along with a three-digit combination lock that utilizes a two-bolt linkage. It measures 16 inches long by 13.75 in wide by 4.35 in thick (406 by 349 by 110 mm), and is designed to contain valuables such as laptops, cameras, smartphones and wallets.
Once everything has been placed in the safe, the user puts it on the back seat of their car, then slides two steel latching mechanisms part way out of two slots in the rear of the device. Those latches get clamped onto two of the car's existing Isofix connection points, which are used to secure a child's booster seat to the back seat of the vehicle. Once the safe is subsequently closed and locked, the only way of releasing the latches is to unlock and open the safe again.
According to Baird, the seat-locking system is strong enough to withstand the G-forces typically experienced in a car crash – so it should also withstand the force of a thief yanking on it. That said, a side-mount looped lock can also be used for additional security. Additionally, if users don't want thieves breaking into their vehicle to check out the safe in the first place, they can slide an included fabric cover over it, making it look like a plain ol' booster seat.
Assuming the Boosted Safe reaches production, a pledge of US$179 will get you one. Prospective backers should first check if their vehicle is Isofix-equipped.
The device is demonstrated in the following video.
Source: Kickstarter