Today every newer car
has a manufacturer “black box” installed in the vehicle which a driver/owner
has no control over. It is pretty much impossible for the owner to remove.
Warning lights come on in the vehicle to let the owner know when the vehicle
needs service or whether there are other operational problems. Other vehicle
tracking devices such as a telemetric Progressives Snapshop device may also be
used to monitor your driving habits or patterns and even go so far as to
identify whether someone else is driving your vehicle, can tell third parties
how you drive, including how you break, turn, whether you are wearing a seat
belt or how many miles your drive.
Insurance companies may
use the information to offer you premium discounts on your insurance. Car rental companies
install these tracking devices in many rental cars to determine your location
and how you are driving. The GPS (global positioning systems) or On-Star and Locjack can locate you if you are in an accident or your vehicle is
stolen. Other devices just
monitor information about your vehicle such as a your license place and vehicle
I.d. number so that a police officer can run your plate information and check
the data base to determine if you have any outstanding tickets or warrants or
whether you are suspected of engaging in criminal activity.
How is the Information Accessed?
The information
contained in the black box remains in the vehicle, but can be accessed when the
device is plugged into a computer at the time your vehicle is serviced or a
third party installs a device to read the information. Devices such as Lojack sends
a coded Radio
Frequency signal to police so that they can pick up the signal that is coming
from your stolen car. LoJack works in places that GPS does not such as concrete
building and steel. GPS tracking signals works off of global
navigation satellites which are operated by the U.S. government which in
automotive tracking may be imposed onto a map to locate your vehicle and you.
While many vehicle owners like these devices
because it warns them before their vehicle breaks down and offers other
valuable protections if your vehicle is stolen or insurance premium discounts,
others say it is an invasion of their privacy.
In this digital and technology age, private information is becoming much
more public.
Who May Use the Information
Besides the mechanic or
dealership servicing your vehicle, your insurance company, law enforcement and
investigators could use the information in connection with criminal activity or
accidents to track your driving patterns, location or driving habits.
Let’s say you are involved
in an automobile accident which another driver caused, and you are injured. The
tracking device could establish whether you were partially at fault or
negligent and contributed to your injuries, especially if you sustain injuries
because you were not wearing your seat belt.
Or let’s say you are
suspected or a crime and law enforcement wants to know where you are going or
where you have been to place you at the scene of a crime. However, law
enforcement must obtain a warrant first before installing a GPS tracking device
on your vehicle before they can gather information which may be admissible in
court.
While we still have
choices about whether we wish to have GPS, LoJack or insurance tracking devices
installed in our cars, other devices such as the black box are here to stay.
Some argue that these devices keep us safer, while others say they can be used
against us and invade our privacy. One thing is certain-the debate over privacy
and safety is expected to continue.