Insurance Company monitoring your car for lower rates -WHAT?
http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20080728/ap_on_re_us/auto_insuran...
Progressive Insurance is offering lower rates if you let them put a device on your car that monitors your driving. The monitoring device — sort of like a black box for cars — tells Progressive what time people drive, how many miles they've driven, how fast they accelerate and how often they hit the brakes. It does not track where people go. Also, under American Family Insurance Co.'s program, for example, a camera records audio and video images of the road and the teen driver when motion sensors detect swerving, hard braking, sudden acceleration or a collision.
But Charles Samuelson, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Minnesota, told The Star Ledger of Newark for Monday's editions that the group has worries about privacy.
"We see this as kind of a creeping abduction of people's data," he said. "Basically, once they collect that data, it belongs to the insurance company. That's a big problem."
Big Brother keeping busy.
Black boxes in cars
ALL car with airbags have a black box data recorder. Every single one without exception. Who exactly OWNS the box is still up in the air. Evidently, as long as you drive the car, it is yours. If you have a wreck, and total the car with airbag deployment, and the insurence company pays you off, then THEY own the box, and can tell if you were speeding, or if you tried to avoid the accident. They can use the info to deny your claim. No Kidding. They can also furnish the info to the police, with all the issues that brings.
Not to make ya'll worry more, but I am almost positive that cars with OBD2 diagnostics can be shut off remotely. IE, by the cops.I know of a couple of instances where fleeing suspects had the car stopped. Some may have been GM with on star, but at least one was a Jeep The other thing is that cars with On Star, most assuredly can be stopped remotely. They can also monitor conversations in the car. They can track the location of the car. anytime, anyplace.
I am not speaking out of my hat here, I am a mechanic with 30 years in. I drive older cars, no air bags, and as little electronics as I can get away with. Something to think about anyway.
only
A fool would agree to this invasion of privacy, somone who has no idea how valuble your freedoms are and how much you would be giving up for this.
The Abuse of Greatness is when it disjoins remorse from power. - Shakespeare
One of my friends said he was told the new truck he bought
recently has a black box inside. comes standard now?
R3VOLution