Not For A Joyride

By Kathleen Adams, Val Castronovo, Randy Hartwell, Lisa McLaughlin, Joseph Pierro, Josh Tyrangiel and Sora Song

It may look like a high-end SUV, but you wouldn't want to cut it off at a STOP sign. Last week the U.S. Army unveiled a "James Bond-like concept vehicle," a modified Ford F-350 pickup with cutting-edge gizmos. The SmarTruck is just a prototype, but here's a preview of the tricks this "agile" and "lethal" rig may one day pull off:

PEPPER-SPRAY DISPENSERS From either side of the truck, handy blasters propel burning pepper spray up to 12 ft.

BULLETPROOF GLASS AND ARMOR Tinted glass and all-over lightweight Kevlar armor can withstand shots from a .44 magnum

DAZZLING LIGHTS Pairs of superbright lights in the front and rear can blind enemies looking directly at or pursuing the vehicle

HIGH-VOLTAGE DOOR HANDLES The ultimate car alarm system: four electrified door handles maintain enough charge to temporarily stun intruders, thieves and various other unwanteds

SMOKE SCREEN, TACK DISPENSER, OIL SLICKS Various pipes in the rear of the truck ward off attackers by spewing oil slicks, clouds of obfuscating smoke and a carpet of tacks designed to hit the ground pointing up

PANEL MATES WITH FINGERPRINT ID Three touch-screen panels, the truck's nerve center, remotely control all exterior countermeasures and can be accessed only through fingerprint verification

RETRACTABLE WEAPON STATION AND NIGHT VISION The night-vision camera rotates 360[degrees], and the laser-launching station responds to a joystick inside the cab