A vehicle barrier apparatus includes a base and a deployable element. The deployable element is rotatably coupled to the base, enabling transition from a stored orientation to a deployed orientation. The deployable element can engage a vehicle physically in the deployed orientation to impair vehicle motion. An actuating mechanism is mechanically coupled to the deployable element cause the deployable element to move from the stored orientation to the deployed orientation responsive to a trigger. The apparatus may include a triggering device that detects the vehicle and provides the trigger to the actuating mechanism responsive to the detection. In addition, or alternatively, the apparatus can include a communications interface that receives a trigger communication from a remote location and causes the trigger to be provided to the actuating mechanism. The apparatus may be portable.