New alarm to save kids stuck in hot cars

A General Motors sensor and alarm system to prevent deaths of children and pets left in a vehicle on a hot summer's day will be fitted to American cars within two years.

The sensor, installed in the lining over the rear seats to measure the vehicle's internal temperature, can detect motion as slight as breathing and trigger the horn to alert the owner when it get dangerously hot.

Connected eventually to GM's OnStar vehicle communications network, the system would enable an operator to notify police when a child was detected inside the car.