A light bulb lit up over Jeff Hammock’s head during a cross-country motorcycle trip when he realized the risk of being rear-ended because drivers behind him were unaware that the bike was slowing down during downshifting and other maneuvers conducted without squeezing the brake lever.
Upon returning home to Huntsville, Ala., Hammock – the founder and CEO of MechOptix – set about to invent Stoptix, an add-on LED brake lamp that signals a vehicle’s deceleration without having to hit the brakes.
“We make products for the automotive aftermarket that are high-tech versions of common parts but smarter and safer,” Hammock explains. “At MechOptix, we’re applying our experience with instrumentation, sensors and optics to bring some of these technologies to the aftermarket so you can be safer in the vehicle you already drive; you shouldn’t have to buy a new Mercedes S Class to get the latest automotive safety technology.”
With plans afoot for an official rollout in February, the product had a chance to really shine at September’s Spark conference sponsored by Southern/alpha, which highlights new business projects throughout the South.
Spark attendees greeted the Stoptix booth with pedal-to-the-metal enthusiasm. “We believe they could be one of the most disruptive product-driven startups of 2014 because of their mass market potential,” according to the organization’s Emily Zara.
“I liked MechOptix for a couple of reasons,” says Sanjay Parekh, one of the Spark judges. “First, it has a huge market potential. It was positioned as a motorcycle product, but when I spoke to others, this issue exists in manual shift cars – which dominate the world outside of the U.S. – and thinking about electric vehicles, this will possibly be an issue as well,” he observes.
“Second, the product is fully developed and it works,” Parekh points out. “Importantly, it is a one-for-one replacement with currently used tail lights. That means there is no impediment to adoption and, in fact, given that it uses LEDs instead of incandescent bulbs, it is an upgrade in terms of performance as well as functionality.”
Hammock recently responded to a series of questions posed by Aftermarket Business World:
Q: What does your Stoptix invention entail?
A: At MechOptix, we have transformed the stop lamp into a deceleration indicator. Stoptix is an automatic brake lamp that lights up when it should – anytime your vehicle suddenly slows down. Stoptix increases safety by reducing your chances of being rear-ended. It’s got your back.
Q: How does the unit know when your vehicle is slowing down?
A: We have essentially developed an instrument within the lamp. It is based on an accelerometer very similar to the one in your cell phone or tablet. Stoptix is measuring deceleration until it runs out of power, which should be approximately three hours (freeway situation). Even at three hours it should have enough energy to illuminate the LED. But it recharges in two seconds when the brakes are applied. If your bike has a tail/running lamp that is always on, then Stoptix is always fully charged and ready to indicate deceleration.
Q: What motivated you to come up with the idea?
A: I had the idea for Stoptix while riding my motorcycle cross-country. I realized that the brake light only comes on if I remember to squeeze the brake lever. I was already working in optics and instrumentation and thought that what is really needed is a deceleration indicator light. I waited for years for the technology to make it possible to do this within the lamp itself.
Q: How long did it take you to perfect the design?
A: I established the company in October of 2012 and started work immediately. Everyone on the team worked a fulltime job or is in college, so the progress has been a bit slower than desired. I think every startup founder would probably say that. We spent the summer and early fall of 2014 working on reducing our manufacturing costs and making the product robust.
Q: What were some of the engineering challenges?
A: Two challenges comprise the bulk of our work in getting this design working. The first is power management since Stoptix is self-powered and we can only pack so much power within the lamp due to package constraints. We wanted it to still have enough energy to light up the LED after being on the freeway for an extended time.
The second challenge is the triggering algorithm. It’s hard enough to program the appropriate trigger based on rapid deceleration, but it is also difficult to prevent Stoptix from lighting up on bumpy roads or a vehicle with a rough ride. If it came on too often it would be ignored by the following vehicles and defeat the purpose of all our work.
Q: Can the unit be readily installed by do-it-yourselfers?
A: Stoptix is the only automatic brake light that requires no modifications to your vehicle. Stoptix is the first product to offer a deceleration indicator solution inside the lamp – self-powered and self-illuminating. Installing Stoptix is as easy as replacing your brake light bulb.
Q: When will this be available on the marketplace?
A: MechOptix is seeking investment to go to production. We expect to have at least 1,500 Stoptix automatic brake lamps by February. We have one distributor now that wants 1,000 as soon as we can deliver.
Q: What is the suggested retail price?
A: Stoptix’s MSRP is $99.95. A great deal goes into this automatic brake lamp including the latest energy storage technology and high output LED. Our goal is to reduce manufacturing costs and increase volume to be able to offer a pair of Stoptix lamps for $149.95.
Q: What distribution channels are you seeking?
A: We prefer to work with distributors with well-established channels and a history of successful new product rollouts, especially with respect to high-tech products.
Q: Is this a good item to be marketed by collision repairers?
A: Yes and no. The goal is to sell Stoptix lamps to be installed to reduce your chances of being rear-ended before your vehicle is damaged or passengers are hurt. But it is an even easier sale once a driver has been rear-ended. Also consider that your brake lights don’t illuminate when your vehicle collides with the vehicle in front of you. Stoptix would light up and reduce the severity of pile-ups by indicating the rapid deceleration or sudden stop.
Q: Can classic car restorers utilize it as well?
A: If you are a builder, restorer or customizer of automobiles then you need to protect your investment by installing Stoptix lamps. The last thing you need is to ruin months or years of work by being rear-ended. Stoptix replaces the 1157 style tail/brake bulb that was used in automobiles up to the mid-1990s. Some new vehicles are still using the 1157.
Q: What about vehicles with specialized lenses?
A: The Stoptix LED is slightly brighter than the incandescent output. Go ahead and use that great looking smoked lens. Stoptix is only red in color when illuminated so it also looks great behind a clear or smoked lens.
Q: Is this applicable to trucks, buses, campers and trailers?
A: We designed Stoptix as a direct fit replacement part, which means that it can be installed in any 1157 socket. Trucks and buses usually decelerate at a slower rate than passenger vehicles, but what about front-end collisions when the driver didn’t have the time to apply the brakes? They need Stoptix. I talked to one trailer manufacturer who loved the idea of Stoptix lamps indicating a rapid slowing down in the case of the trailer becoming detached from the vehicle. There are so many cases when a brake light should come on but doesn’t. Stoptix does.
If you are concerned about your cargo arriving unharmed, then you need Stoptix lamps. Consider that you often don’t have the opportunity to apply the brakes in sudden situations. Consider the down time your business suffers while this vehicle is being repaired. Your customer’s cargo is now damaged, which may cost your business as well.
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