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Insurance Companies Try Out Auto Black Boxes
tekiegreg writes "It looks like the first black box test for auto insurance companies is underway. While this may be a privacy issue, it can also make better drivers out of everyone if insurance rates are adjustable based on the way everyone drives. This was covered on Slashdot before however this seems to be one of the first workups, that can even include tests on speed and braking, not just location."
I thought this was a good idea, but then I remembered: "I'm in my 20's and I drive a Camaro". Bad news.
Alex Bischoff
HTML/CSS coder for hire
Hmm, black boxes in cars? Reminds me of this joke:
Manufacturers of automoibiles have secretly been putting black boxes in cars for some time to get an idea of what happened leading up to accidents. And they have tried this in three different countries: The U.S., Canada, and Australia.
In the U.S., what was said most often before an accident was "Ah! We're gonna die!"
In Canada, what was said most often before an accident was "Ah! We're gonna die, eh?"
In Australia, what was said most often before an accident was "Hey mate, hold my beer and watch me do this!"
we need velocity limits not speed limits.
I disagree with you. The major cause of accidents is people passing only on the left. Here in the US, everyone rigidly stays in the right hand lane, except to pass. And after they have passed, the move over to the right again.
It's a hazard, because to get around a car, you have to always switch a lane. If I'm in the right hand lane, and I'm going 30 MPH faster than another car, it's dangerous to have to change lanes to get around him. If drivers here in the states would just ignore the rules about staying in the right hand lane except to pass, then when I overtake a slow driver on the right, 50% of the time I wouldn't have to change a lane at all.
Our highways would be much safer with less lane changing, and we can only accomplish that by making drivers in the US comfortable with driving continuously in the left hand lane. God knows they never do that now.
No weapon in the arsenals of the world is so formidable as the will and moral courage of free men.-Ronald Reagan
Putting a camera in your house is not a violation of your rights if you agree to it. And it's not a violation of your rights for any insurance company refuse to cover you if you don't have one. Considering how crappy it would be not to have home insurance, such a refusal would almost make it a requirement to have a camera in your house, recording all your actions without any explicit violation of your rights.
All that would be necessary to make this situation just like the car insurance/black box case is to have the government mandate that you must have house insurance. Then, without any violation of your rights (because you're voluntarily waiving them, after all), no more privacy for you. And there's nothing wrong with this; after all, owning a house is a privilege, not a right.
" It's none of your business if this guy doesn't want to give Slashdot his money."
Slashdot is a public forum. He forfeited the 'none of your business' argument when he posted. If he has a right to complain, then I have a right to challenge him on it. Mod points are at stake!!
"Derp de derp."
I hate to burst your bubble, but this black box has been in the cars since they've have engine management computers (the computer needs all that data to achieve the best tune for reduction in NOX).
I gues you'd better start riding your bike tomorrow morning.
Time Index 00:00.00 You are driving down the freeway
Time Index 00:01.37 You ram into a power pole while talking on your N-Gage
Time Index 00:01.38 Your insurance company computer discovers your collison via the blackbox
Time Index 00:01.39 Your insurance company flags your account
Time Index 00:01.77 Your insurance company cancels your account
Time Index 27:45.61 You phone your insurance company to tell them you had an accident a few minutes ago, and they give you some bad news...
I'm actually all for this. With the caveat that some day very soon we'll all have air-powered hovercars, that drive us to our destinations for us, following all the rules, with notifications that beep us at the last possible minute to leave and get there on time, with areas where we are allowed to drive manually if we so desire (just for fun). It's a lot to ask, but otherwise there isn't an insurance company on earth that will continue to insure me after watching me drive for 5 minutes in a car equipped with one of those things.