I have written in the past about our cars being computers-on-wheels that constantly collect data. What if they were required to share that collected data with government agencies. I know…this sounds like George Orwell’s novel, 1984 doesn’t it? Could our car become, in some form, Big Brother?
What if you find yourself zipping along at 75 mph and in a couple of days find a speeding ticket in your mail box? We already know that cameras placed in certain intersections record anyone who runs a red-light and sends that person a red-light citation in the mail. Your car is already fully capable of collecting emission data. What if you got ticketed for that? What if your car refused to run until you got the issue taken care of?
We’ve heard a great deal lately about “black boxes” due to airlines losing contact with planes. One plane was never found…and the latest one has been found and they have now recovered the black boxes. The black box records what took place to give clues to what really happened prior to the tragedy.
Many cars already have black boxes. Your car collects a remarkable amount of data about your driving habits now…and eventually it is possible that this could be used to govern how you drive. What if your car is required to send the data to public officials to notify them of your driving habits? They would know if:
- You are a habitual speeder.
- Your car is polluting the air.
- You idle too long at rush hour sitting at red lights.
- Where you go at every moment.
It hasn’t come to this yet…but it is being researched and it may mean that the government and not you, own the information your car is collecting. It is a little scary isn’t it? Like I have said before, sometimes the stuff of science fiction is really science future…
Please call us with any questions at 626-963-0814 or visit our website at www.CertifiedAutoCA.com.
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