The government is backing a project to install a “communication box” in new cars to track the whereabouts of drivers anywhere in Europe, the Guardian can reveal.
Under the proposals, vehicles will emit a constant “heartbeat” revealing their location, speed and direction of travel. The EU officials behind the plan believe it will significantly reduce road accidents, congestion and carbon emissions. A consortium of manufacturers has indicated that the router device could be installed in all new cars as early as 2013.
However, privacy campaigners warned last night that a European-wide car tracking system would create a system of almost total road surveillance.
#20, Now that’s funny, I don’t care who you are.
Next thing you know they are going to be using the tracking system to electronically file speeding tickets.
AFAIK they use that line of thinking on the Jersey Turnpike: you get a time stamped card when you enter the JT and it gets checked when you leave to see how much you should pay (depending where you got on) – but if you *somehow* made it from one end of the JT to the other faster than they deem is possible traveling the speed limit…