Self-driving cars...

[Dangerous Doug]

Think of the reams of data Google will be able to collect with hundreds of thousands, if not millions of these SDC's running around. GPS data on movement, flow, and video everywhere these things go.

This data will be harvested and the results (if not the data itself) sold just as they currently do in their current business model.

As paranoid as this must sound, there has to be a monetary motive for spending all this cash on SDC development---and the money is in the data, and selling it.

DD

[Tommy]

Originally Posted by Dangerous Doug

.....As paranoid as this must sound,....
DD

Combining the theme of predicting the future with paranoia, let me add this observation to the mix. ... I recently noticed a city police car with a strange array of cameras on the rear deck. I realized it was one of those tag reading systems that relays pictures of the car tags of every car passed to a system that records the observation and compares the tags to those of interest to the police (e.g., stolen car). It makes it easier for police to spot and respond to tags of interest. ..... But that's not all.

Because the system records the tag number of EVERY car passed, it can also be used to retrieve a history of any tag of interest. For example, if a particular tag was used in a robbery, they could find out when and where the car with that tag was spotted before by the roving camera system. Again, it sounds like a good tool for police use, but that's not all.

The database of spotted tags must belong to someone. Let's presume it is the local police department. Now let's assume some enterprising business man approaches the city with an offer to buy its database. Always on the lookout for ways to increase revenues without increasing taxes, the city agrees. A few weeks later a new app appears offering customers the opportunity to see the travel history of any tag (for example, that of a suspected cheating spouse) for $49.95. If this app does not already exist, it will soon. ... But that's not all.

The same technology that allowed the police to scan tags in the first place will begin to show up along side well traveled roads. As the system reads the tag of a passing car, it identifies the likely driver, reviews their Google search history, and brings up an ad on an electronic billboard just as the car passes. I envision driving down an Interstate behind a big truck and seeing every sign advertise the nearest adult toy shop as it approaches. Then, it will swap to senior living communities as I approach. None of us will have many secrets then.

[Tim7139]

Originally Posted by Tommy

Combining the theme of predicting the future with paranoia, let me add this observation to the mix. ... I recently noticed a city police car with a strange array of cameras on the rear deck. I realized it was one of those tag reading systems that relays pictures of the car tags of every car passed to a system that records the observation and compares the tags to those of interest to the police (e.g., stolen car). It makes it easier for police to spot and respond to tags of interest. ..... But that's not all.

Because the system records the tag number of EVERY car passed, it can also be used to retrieve a history of any tag of interest. For example, if a particular tag was used in a robbery, they could find out when and where the car with that tag was spotted before by the roving camera system. Again, it sounds like a good tool for police use, but that's not all.

The database of spotted tags must belong to someone. Let's presume it is the local police department. Now let's assume some enterprising business man approaches the city with an offer to buy its database. Always on the lookout for ways to increase revenues without increasing taxes, the city agrees. A few weeks later a new app appears offering customers the opportunity to see the travel history of any tag (for example, that of a suspected cheating spouse) for $49.95. If this app does not already exist, it will soon. ... But that's not all.

The same technology that allowed the police to scan tags in the first place will begin to show up along side well traveled roads. As the system reads the tag of a passing car, it identifies the likely driver, reviews their Google search history, and brings up an ad on an electronic billboard just as the car passes. I envision driving down an Interstate behind a big truck and seeing every sign advertise the nearest adult toy shop as it approaches. Then, it will swap to senior living communities as I approach. None of us will have many secrets then.

Systems have been here for years. Data must be purged after 30 days and is illegal to transfer.

[Tommy]

Originally Posted by Tim7139

Systems have been here for years. Data must be purged after 30 days and is illegal to transfer.

Just curious - is that a state by state law, or federal? If federal, can you point me to the statute?

[Tim7139]

Originally Posted by Tommy

Just curious - is that a state by state law, or federal? If federal, can you point me to the statute?

I believe it's state, however, as it was adopted here there was a lot of conversation avbout a generally accepted uniform code of standars and practices. This is not new LE technology.

Do a search, there's a site that shows states,10-12, how long they can keep data, 20-150 days, and how it can or cannot be used.

[Dimis]

I'm reminded of this:

Bill Gates reportedly compared the computer industry with the auto industry and stated: "If General Motors had kept up with the technology like the computer industry has, we would all be driving $25.00 cars that got 1,000 miles to the gallon."

In response to Bill's comments, GM issued a press release stating: "If General Motors had developed technology like Microsoft, we would all be driving cars with the following characteristics:

1. For no reason whatsoever, your car would crash twice a day.
2. Every time they repainted the lines in the road, you would have to buy a new car.
3. Occasionally your car would die on the freeway for no reason. You would have to pull over to the side of the road, close all of the windows, shut off the car, restart it, and reopen the windows before you could continue. For some reason, you would simply accept this.
4. Occasionally, executing a maneuver such as a left turn would cause your car to shut down and refuse to restart, in which case you would have to reinstall the engine.
5. Macintosh would make a car that was powered by the sun, was reliable, five times as fast and twice as easy to drive -- but would run on only five percent of the roads.
6. The oil, water temperature, and alternator warning lights would all be replaced by a single "General Protection Fault" warning light.
7. The airbag system would ask "Are you sure?" before deploying.
8. Occasionally, for no reason whatsoever, your car would lock you out and refuse to let you in until you simultaneously lifted the door handle, turned the key and grabbed hold of the radio antenna.
9. Every time GM introduced a new car, car buyers would have to learn to drive all over again because none of the controls would operate in the same manner as the old car.
10. You'd have to press the "Start" button to turn the engine off.


My computers has crashed twice today... thankfully my car hasn't

Originally Posted by Dangerous Doug

Think of the reams of data Google will be able to collect with hundreds of thousands, if not millions of these SDC's running around. GPS data on movement, flow, and video everywhere these things go.

This data will be harvested and the results (if not the data itself) sold just as they currently do in their current business model.

As paranoid as this must sound, there has to be a monetary motive for spending all this cash on SDC development---and the money is in the data, and selling it.

DD

Pretty sure they've already got this covered with mobile phones.