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1) Why would the system need to include "a steel shelter structure"?
2) Could someone evaluate the logic in this statement, "Supersonic bangs have no effects on animals."?

1) Why would the system need to include "a steel shelter structure"?
2) Could someone evaluate the logic in this statement, "Supersonic bangs have no effects on animals."?

A better explanation of the process can be read here.

They have a photo of just that on their website (bottom right of the page).

I agree completely. Reading about this system made me marvel at the salesmanship involved. You'd think anyone past high school would recognize such obvious pseudoscience, but I guess the saying about fools being born every minute is a great truism. People don't realize how rare hail damage is, statistically, and so they can be led to believe that systems like this work, when it's just very likely that hail hasn't fallen on that 100-acre plot of land in the last three years because, well, hail wasn't going to fall there in the first place.

Unless Nissan got a better deal, even the company's guarantee is worthless, viz.:

[...]

Anti-Hail clause

In order to respect its obligation of fully satisfied or money back warranty, Hail Stop Equipment inc. warrants to the users of its product a protection against hail on a 500 meters (1650 pi.) radius. If the customer had damages caused by hail inside the protected zone, then Hail Stop Equipment inc. will compensate the customer's losses. The refund value is limited to the lesser of both amounts; either to the value of the losses or the amount that the customer paid to buy its Ollivier Hail Suppression system(R). The customer requests are subjected to a $5,000US exemption. A preheating delay of 20 minutes must occure to give the time to the Ollivier system to reaches optimal efficiency.

In order to keep your guarantee your 3 years warranty effective, Hail Stop Equipment inc. require a complete annual audit of the system to deliver a yearly certificate of conformity attesting that the system has been inspected (and adjusted if need be) and Hail Stop Equipment inc. takes back its warranty for another year until the end of the third year from the date of installation. The certificate also confirms the eligibility to the service contract renewal. The yearly certification assures the customer that its system is always functional, safe and efficient. If you are covered by an optional service contract, then the manpower required for the works of yearly certification is free. [emphasis added]

So, even if hundreds of acres of cars are hail-damaged while the system is in use (after the 20-minute warmup period), the company is only liable for the cost of the "hail suppression system", minus $5000! However, you have to pay, either directly or via a service contract, for an annual inspection to keep the 3-year warrranty in force--price undisclosed.

The only way this makes any economic sense for Nissan is if they got the system for free, so that the shyster company can use them as a showcase customer, for the publicity value. Even then, you'd think the public embarassment at being associated with such a scam would be intolerable.

The whole thing reminds me of the story about the guy jumping up and down in the middle of the street, blowing a whistle. Someone walks up and says,

"Why are you blowing the whistle?"

"To scare the elephants away."

"Elephants? There are no elephants around here!"

"See? It's working!"

Historically, planes used dry ice and flares to seed clouds and therefore prevent hail. This approach seems too loud for people around these machines. Aren't huge shockwaves like this thing produces the reason why jets are forbidden to fly over most land at supersonic speeds? Why is this ok?

These fine people from "ke-bek"