This Robot Will Auto-Impound Your Car For Illegal Parking

Cue the remote-controlled instrument you see here. Operated from a distance, it can simply swoop in and collect cars parked in inaccessible places, such as a parking garage or residential garage. While it's handy for extricating a broken down or abandoned vehicle, it also makes hiding from the repo man a lot harder than before.

It's a great concept and should have arrogant drivers second-guessing their poor parking decisions. The manufacturer behind this clever machine (known as the Eastract) is France-based Multitract. The company describes it as a combination of a tow truck and forklift, noting it can carry loads as heavy as 5,511 pounds. So if you drive a hefty pickup truck, you should be safe from the Eastract's clutches.

But this clever little machine can be used for so much more than towing away badly parked vehicles. Multitract says it can carry away damaged or burnt vehicles, which adds an additional element of practicality.

The car doesn't even need to be unlocked for Eastract to do its thing - let's hopecar thievesdon't get their hands on this.

Tank tracks provide it with superb maneuverability, while a Briggs and Stratton engine with 27 horsepower pushes it along at a glacial pace, and it can even be outfitted with a snow blade and a winch. Even though it's been on the market since 2012, we're still impressed by the Eastract. It's only a matter of time before towing companies employ this to emancipate vehicles from angry,late-paying owners.

Then again, we might not need this at all. Ford is already working on a system whereby a vehicle will disable the car if the owner defaults on payments. Continue not to pay, and thecar will simply drive away.