Cars are becoming smarter than ever, with global positioning systems, Internet connections, data recorders and high-definition cameras.
Drivers can barely make a left turn, put on their seatbelts or push 80 miles an hour without their actions somehow, somewhere being tracked or recorded.
Automakers say they are only responding to consumer demand, and besides, they and regulators say, the new technologies help them better understand consumers and make the cars safer. But privacy advocates increasingly see something more unsettling for drivers: that someone is always watching.
Now two senators are trying to give car owners more say over some of that data. Early next week, Senator John Hoeven, Republican of North Dakota, and Senator Amy Klobuchar, Democrat of Minnesota, will introduce a bill stipulating that car owners control the data collected on the device called the event data recorder. The recorder, commonly known as a black box, collects information like direction, speed and seatbelt use in a continuous loop. It is in nearly every car today, and in September, it is set to become mandatory.
“We’ve got real privacy concerns on the part of the public,” Senator Hoeven said in a telephone interview. “People are very concerned about their personal privacy, especially as technology continues to advance,” he said, referring to revelations of spying by the National Security Agency. Fourteen states have already passed similar laws.
The data collected by the black box has already been the center of litigation by law enforcement agencies and insurance companies seeking to use the information against car owners. The bill would limit what the data could be used for and would require a warrant to release the data without the owner’s consent.
But even this legislation covers only part of what is a rapidly evolving technological landscape.
At the International CES in Las Vegas this week, automakers and technology companies announced a stream of new products and services aimed at making cars more connected.
Google announced it had a partnership with G.M., Audi, Honda and Hyundai to bring its Android platform to vehicle infotainment systems by the end of this year. At the same time, G.M. said it would start an app shop, where drivers can use apps like Priceline.com to book a hotel room and CitySeeker, which provides information about attractions and restaurants near the vehicle.
The days of a driver being alerted to a deal at a retailer as he drives nearby are rapidly approaching.
Many consumers, though, are unaware of just how much personal information is collected and used, privacy advocates say.
The Latest on: Privacy
[google_news title=”” keyword=”Privacy” num_posts=”10″ blurb_length=”0″ show_thumb=”left”]
via Google News
The Latest on: Privacy
- DuckDuckGo VPN: A User-Friendly Privacy Boost, but Not for Power Userson April 19, 2024 at 5:15 am
While there are more feature-packed VPNs, it’s hard to complain about the intuitiveness and value of DuckDuckGo’s no-frills virtual private network.
- Prince Harry's privacy case against Murdoch tabloids to proceed as plannedon April 19, 2024 at 4:05 am
Prince Harry's privacy case has avoided a major delay after London's High Court rejected an application by the publisher of Rupert Murdoch-owned British mass-market newspapers that could have caused ...
- National privacy standard eyed by Congress for data harvested by big tech companieson April 19, 2024 at 1:10 am
If you are having thoughts of suicide, contact 988. For resources regarding eating disorders, visit nationaleatingdisorders.org/get-help/. WASHINGTON — U.S. House members tasked with addressing what ...
- UK regulator says Google's ad-privacy changes fall short, WSJ reportson April 19, 2024 at 12:51 am
The UK privacy regulator said Google's proposed replacements for cookies need to do more to protect consumer privacy, the Wall Street Journal reported late Thursday, citing internal documents reviewed ...
- Google’s Ad-Privacy Changes Fall Short, U.K. Regulator Says in Internal Documentson April 18, 2024 at 9:00 pm
The Information Commissioner’s Office said in a draft report that Google’s proposed replacements for cookies have gaps that advertisers can exploit.
- Brave search engine adds privacy-focused AI - no Google or Bing neededon April 18, 2024 at 12:45 pm
Accessible in any browser, Brave's new 'Answer with AI' option provides an AI-generated summary - with sources - in response to your requests and searches.
- Legislature rejects paths to a comprehensive data privacy law in Maineon April 18, 2024 at 8:15 am
Maine will not be enacting a comprehensive data privacy law for the foreseeable future after the Legislature killed two competing proposals on the last day of session that lawmakers had spent 12 ...
- Loyalty Programs And Data Collection: Navigating The Privacy-First Eraon April 18, 2024 at 6:45 am
The combination of zero- and first-party data collected through loyalty programs can be a goldmine for businesses.
- House hearing highlights potential flashpoints in renewed privacy talkson April 18, 2024 at 6:00 am
House lawmakers pledged to take swift action on data privacy and children’s online safety at a key legislative hearing Wednesday, but the session also spotlighted a slew of issues that could still ...
- Five Privacy Tips For Businesses In The Age Of AIon April 18, 2024 at 4:45 am
Jodi Daniels is a privacy consultant and Founder/CEO of Red Clover Advisors, one of the few Women’s Business Enterprises focused on privacy. Let’s get this out of the way: Barring significant and ...
via Bing News