Talking Car

Reporter Stephen Matthews gauges public reaction to the latest police campaign to combat thefts from cars with this talking Ford Escort Mk I. Devon and Cornwall Police aim to encourage drivers to lock their cars in an effort to clamp down on thefts of luggage, transistor radios and of the car itself. In 1975 in Devon and Cornwall car crime was on the increase and it was common to leave your car unlocked or its manual windows wound down leaving thieves to act opportunistically.

The introduction of car alarms, central locking systems and immobilisers since the 1970s have helped to reduce low level car crime but perpetrators continue to target cars looking for smartphones, sat navs, car radio systems and shopping bags prompting regular police campaigns “Leave it on show expect it to go”. Famous screen cars with excessive personality include the Batmobile, Herbie, Kitt in Knight Rider, the Ectomobile in Ghostbusters and a Delorean in the Back to the Future franchise and the Cars franchise which includes cars voiced by famous actors including Richard Petty, Michael Keaton, Paul Newman and Lightning McQueen named in memory of Steve McQueen and voiced by Owen Wilson.