Being able to stop vehicles on command is an important asset for our military. Unfortunately the most effective methods to date are messy -- generally either severely damaging to the vehicle or passenger or using a sniper. The US Air Force has recognized the need for a more eloquent method to incapacitate vehicles, and has issued a request for information, seeking a non-lethal "Car Stopper." Often times these requests can result in questionable technologies, such as war robots and rail guns, however this time a reasonable solution may already exist.

California based company Eureka Aerospace has recently created  an electromagnetic pulse (EMP) cannon capable of stopping vehicles by disabling their electronic devices (see video here), and may be the one to answer the Air Force’s call. The company has been working on EMP technology since 2001, and has made impressive progress since that time.

The original Cannon was 200 lb and six by three feet in size, with an effective range of less than 15m, and now with the help of funding by the US Marines and the Office of the Secretary of Defense, it is compact enough to be vehicle mounted, and boasts a range of 200m.

Implementation of the device has strong implications for our defense. It will be capable of, "non-lethal area denial to vehicles/boats for perimeter protection of high value assets, e.g. personnel barracks, from approaching hostile vehicles, carrying explosives and immobilizing vehicles on urban, suburban roads and multi-lane highways," and will be both vehicle and aircraft mountable.

 The model shown in the video is a prototype. A smaller model (suit-case sized, about 50lbs) capable of stopping vehicles from 200m  (656ft) away  will be shown next month for the Marines at the Dahgren Naval Warfare Center.