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Black Boxes In Cars Raise Privacy Concerns
hessian writes "In the next few days, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is expected to propose long-delayed regulations requiring auto manufacturers to include event data recorders — better known as 'black boxes' — in all new cars and light trucks. But the agency is behind the curve. Automakers have been quietly tucking the devices, which automatically record the actions of drivers and the responses of their vehicles in a continuous information loop, into most new cars for years. Data collected by the recorders is increasingly showing up in lawsuits, criminal cases and high-profile accidents. Massachusetts Lt. Gov. Timothy Murray initially said that he wasn't speeding and that he was wearing his seat belt when he crashed a government-owned car last year. But the Ford Crown Victoria's data recorder told a different story: It showed the car was traveling more than 100 mph and Murray wasn't belted in."
Not all Americans are egotistical jerks. Just the lower...I'd say 70% or so? Pretty much anyone who shows up on Maury or Jerry Springer.
FTFY
Compare it to a flight data recorder. The pilots surrender that specific freedom to be able to fly and earn their wage for their chosen profession. They know about it, and they willingly accept it.
The only thing wrong here is that the public isn't generally "in the know" about these, but the premise is the same: you are using a federally funded system of roads, there are requirements for its use, public safety is involved, so it is not unreasonable to add on a requirement that a car data recorder be in place so long as the driver is aware it is there. If you don't like it, don't drive.
It's just like speeding, or having insurance, or seat belts, or having a driver's license; you agree to these terms to be able to use public roads.