Car owners face several problems on a daily basis. However, one of the most upsetting aspects is the various forms of theft. In particular, there are many thieves out there waiting to steal your catalytic converter. Sadly, this happens to thousands of drivers each year because catalytic converters contain expensive materials. Because of this, many people use catalytic converter shields. Now, one teenager might have the solution. 

Having someone steal your catalytic converter is the worst

It has become quite popular for people to have their catalytic converter stolen. As mentioned, bad actors can earn a ton of money with the precious materials used to build the device, which works to reduce emissions from your exhaust. Now, according to Fox 26 News, Varun Masson, who is only 14, has a solution that doesn’t involve catalytic converter shields. 

Varun is one of 300 students in the 2024 Thermo Fisher Scientific Junior Innovators Challenge. Notably, over 2,000 students initially applied for the competition. He has created a catalytic converter that doesn’t need the same expensive materials the traditional options contain. Because of this, there would be no reason for criminals to steal the catalytic converter from your car. The California 14-year-old says he spent about six months researching alternatives to the traditional catalytic converter. 

According to him, “Metals like cobalt, nickel, iron, and copper can actually be used or being used actively in mining to reduce emissions. So I thought why not put that into cars?” Now, he wants to see his mini catalytic converter in a car to see if it is actually viable for automakers. If his invention does work on a large scale, it would solve the problem of thieves having a reason to steal your catalytic converter.