Comments on: IBM car tech to nab speeders

A $125 million deal with United Arab Emirates will create a nationwide network of cars with "black boxes" to track speed and location.

[Stating]

Great Tool For Spying

I'll bet that our intelligence agencies worked with IBM to include a back door into the databases. Life got a whole lot easier for the boys in Langely, who will now be able to track Arab vehicle movements of "persons of interest" from the comfort of their leather chairs.

Having said that, the Emirates themselves no doubt ordered the system with this very purpose in mind. I guess now for true security, smart Arabs will resort to travelling by camel.

[mike.gw]

Disgusting!

I'll bet that the very same IBM executives jumping for joy over this deal, would kick and scream if the US government stated that all cars driven in the US would be equipped with this very same technology. The first IBM exec to receive a speeding ticket or license suspension in the mail for driving their AMG Mercedes above the posted speed limits, will be up in arms about violations of constitutional rights. If we are trying to spread democracy in the world, why would we engage in installing technology in other countries that we as US citizens would oppose here in the States? Simply to make a buck?!!

[sanenazok]

It's UAE Government Cars, only

I think everyone would be happy if government cars in the US came with this feature. Especially post office trucks.

I don't see what's the big deal, especially if the devices only report speed, and not location. The alternative is to have people die unnecesairly.

George Orwell's Big (Blue) Brother

Ahh yes. A little closer to being watched at all times. Body implants aren't far off.

[zaznet]

You mean...

You mean you don't have yours yet? Maybe they just didn't tell you...

[zaznet]

RFID in the future for USA Drivers

I have a prediction that RFID will be used on vehicle license plates, registration stickers and inspection stickers. Really, why not? A police officer would only need to be 50 feet away from a vehicle in violation to detect it.

Insurance ran out? You'll get spotted VERY quickly since the officer didn't have to run your plate through his in-car computer and instead gets an indicator on a HUD that shows him which car to pull over.

Sensors will be placed where you now see those road side speed signs that flash when you exceed the speed limit that will know EXACTLY what car was driving how fast or ran what light without taking a picture and without needing to use a radar gun.

It'll make radar detectors useless. It'll be cheaper and less obtrusive to install the equipment. Snipers currently try to take out the reinforced stop light cameras in major cities (with little to no success). Sensors will be installed in every traffic light, so that city planners will no longer need to plan light cycles but allow it to detect what lanes need the green light. Set to "automatic" and go! Cheaper to install, cheaper to run and maintain and requires fewer employees plus it's more efficient for the drivers on the road.

It is coming, it is only a matter of time...

Don't want to be "tagged" because of privacy and constitutional rights, then don't drive! You do NOT have a constitutional right to drive a car. For that matter you really don't have a constitutional right to "privacy" either, it is just assumed and often upheld by courts. None of the challenges against cameras and radar guns have been able to stop this invasion of your privacy yet.

You can't buy a cell phone today without being "tagged" and trackable. It's a federal law for cell phone providers to include GPS tracking capabilities to assist emergency services in locating you should you dial 911. They already sell the service to companies and parents for tracking their employees or children (interchange that as you see fit).