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Finns To Use Cell Phones To Monitor Traffic Jams

Posted by Hemos on from the interesting-adaptation dept.

Okko writes "The Finnish Road Administration announced it is going to use cellphone location data to find out about traffic jams. They say they are using the location data available from the GSM base stations to determine the locations and speeds of vehicles carrying mobile phones. The information will be used to inform people about traffic jams and peaks in traffic trough public FM radio stations. Until now, the information about traffic has been gathered using car sensors embedded in the roads. The spokesperson of FRA, interviewed in the evening news of MTV3 Finland, seemed very pleased they can monitor cell phones even when no calls are made, it is enough the phone has power on. They said they are about to use the information anonymously and thought people approve it as long as it is done in an anonymous and "everyone-wins" way. It was told they do not currently tell the police about the data they discover as the current law forbids this. So, it is not, at least yet, possible to fine people carrying mobile phones in their cars too fast on public roads (exceeding the speed limit of the road). Unfortunately, probably because of vacations, FRA has not updated their website accordingly yet. There does exist an annoucement about testing the technology from the summer. "

5 of 155 comments (clear)

  1. just Great. by sanermind · · Score: 3, Interesting

    ...I can see the day where an automated system can automatically flag and/or ticket you for exceeding the speed limit. Of course, they already have camera bases systems today, that photograph your license plate. And if the preponderance of technological competition in the radar-detector-detector-adnasuam world is any indication, there would soon enough be a market for phones that subtly altered the phase or seeming doppler profile of their signals to fool a single tower. Of course, if you show up at another tower 200Km away in 35 minutes, that would still be a little suspicious. ;)

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    the pen is mightier than the sword, the sword is mightier than the court, the court is mightier than the pen.
  2. Re:An attack on privacy by doubleyewdee · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Does "Big Brother" really give two farts about whether or not I am speeding, though? I mean, if you're going to be paranoid at least be paranoid about something worthwhile. I don't even think it's so much easier to watch me than it was before. In the days of yore people had a lot less information swirling around, and so you could learn all there was to know about someone without having to collect and save the data. It wasn't too tough, back in the day, for BB to find out all about you through what some would call 'conventional methods' (using spies/trackers/etc). I think that BB has simply been keeping up with the times. We are no more or less secure now than we were before, it's just that our (in)security has changed.

    Furthermore, why is everyone so upset about getting caught speeding? Don't want to get caught? Don't do it. If you don't like the laws, then use the appropriate paths (voting, lobbying, running for office) to get the laws fixed. Don't grouse because now all of a sudden you can be caught breaking the law. If the law seems inappropriate to you then get it fixed. Don't let bad laws sit and gain acceptance with age. There are a lot of silly/bad laws out there that only exist because people ignore them or go around them since "it's not a big deal." It's ridiculous. Don't ignore the law, change it!

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    you can take the road that takes you to the stars...
  3. Minority Report by epicstruggle · · Score: 3, Interesting

    This use of our cell phones might lead to some serious privacy issues. I dont know if you watched Minority Report. But one interesting aspect of the future in that movie was how pervasive the SYSTEM monitored you (using an iris scan to identify you). Using your cell phone to monitor traffic might seem like a small thing, but it might lead to some serious deteoration of your privacy. Say we have some serious criminal act, and we want to know who might have been near the area, these people could be suspects or witnesses. We could just check who had their cell phones on in the area. This might not seem bad, unless your labeled a "person of interest". I doubt youd like to be under that much scrutiny (sp?)

    anyways, just a thought
    epicstruggle

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    "Im drowning here, and you're describing the water!"
    1. Re:Minority Report by Killeri · · Score: 2, Interesting

      Actually, this happened already in Finland. The police can request a court order to get location data for a phone identified with a suspect. In one case a court granted an order to release location data for all phones in a single cell during a certain time period, even though this is not allowed by law. This came up in a yearly report of such court orders.

  4. nothing new by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Interesting
    as others have said, it's not the first time this has come up. These ideas were actively discussed by those in the industry since 98/99. When WAP first became hot, numerous companies tried to push for this. The main reason it hasn't happened isn't technological. It's all political. For those privacy freaks out there, the government is already using this information and they already have access. Anyone that thinks having these kinds of services available is going to significantly increase government abuse is too blind to see it's already doing a great job of abusing its power.


    If some one is a speed freak, then unplug the damn battery. to get an accurate measurement of traffic, you would have to actively monitor multiple signals and average it out. Plus, giving some one a ticket based on their cell phone wouldn't stand up in court. The prescence of the phone does not constitute the owner is speeding.