EU Secretly Plans To Put a Back Door In Every Car By 2020

An anonymous reader writes "A secretive EU body has agreed to develop a device to be fitted to all cars allowing police to cut off any engine at will, it emerged today. The device, which could be imposed within a decade, would also allow police to track a vehicle's movements as well as immobilise it. According to The Daily Telegraph a group of senior EU officials, including several Home Office mandarins, have signed off the proposal at a secret meeting in Brussels."

Comments

Secret meetings:

[fredrated]

it's what democracy is about!

Re:Secret meetings:

[cstec]

Democrazy. You spelled it wrong.

Re:Secret meetings:

[xaxa]

Considering the two sources given are the Daily Mail and the Telegraph, it's safest to assume this is lies until someone finds a reliable source.

(Two newspapers that make their profitis by getting "middle Englanders" angry. )

Re:Secret meetings:

[mspohr]

BBC also: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/worl...

The BBC story also includes a link to the actual EU document (pdf) stating the work program.

Re:Secret meetings:

[rtb61]

Far more likely is was released on purpose because it is an incredibly bad idea. Any system to shut every car by every police force across the globe will absolutely positively e hacked before it is even distributed, allowing criminals to shut down peoples cars across the globe. So driving on unlit back country roads would become incredibly dangerous. Driving in the wee hours of the morning with out much traffic about, would become incredibly dangerous. Peak hour mega traffic jams would become routine. Payments to have the system stripped from the cars of criminals would become some routine, that they would become very cheap. I bet those same idiots would considering adding it to aircraft.

Re:Secret meetings:

[MrNiCeGUi]

What makes this an incredible bad idea is that it gives the government a very powerful method to thwart dissent.

In view of the recent events in Ukraine, where protestors or suspected protestors have received a threatening text message from their phone company, saying "Dear subscriber, you are registered as a participant in a mass disturbance", one can easily imagine that this technology which is to be used purportedly to stop car chases can and most certainly will be used to stop private transport in cases of massive anti-government protests.

The power that this will give the government over the population is extraordinary. This is therefore a very bad idea and a serious threat to democracy and needs to be stopped.

Hacker Extortion Target

[RichMan]

$10 million, (finger twist), or every other car on the autobahn comes to a halt at 1pm.

Re:Hacker Extortion Target

[robinsonne]

We can hope, because that's the only way that the general public will finally see how dangerous having this capability is.

My car already has 2 back doors

[Gothmolly]

And a hatchback door, so I guess you could say there are 3 back doors.

Way to write a headline, editors. How about something a little better like "EU Secretly Plans To Put a Back Door in Every Car ECU by 2020" ?

Re:Great idea

[ackthpt]

Because criminals won't immediately disable this shit, right?

Criminals will be targeted by drones. You'll know they are criminals because the drones shot at them.

Move along, citizen, nothing to see here.

Re:Great idea

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm sure the definition of "criminal" will quickly expand once they get this power. Have an unpaid parking ticket? Your car is now disabled. Behind on child support payments? Your car is now disabled....etc,etc, etc

Re:Great idea

[Tokolosh]

No, disabling it will make you a criminal. Cover a surveillance camera, you are a criminal.

It will be fun when a mother and her children are crushed by a bus when a static discharge immobilises her car in an intersection.

OnStar coming to EU?

[Anonymous Coward]

Lots of the above posts go on and on about hackers, yet I don't hear about this happening to all those OnStar equiped vehicles that have the ability to remotely disable your engine.

Re:I worry about the script kiddies

[DougOtto]

and all of London's cars come to a grinding halt...

And this will be different than the M1 or M25 during rush hour how?

They Want Back Doors In My Car?

[organgtool]

Looks like it's time for a coupe

Re:What could possibly go wrong?

[amiga3D]

Of course, some people will have their automobiles exempted because some people are more equal than others.

It's already here.

[Grog6]

All cars with fly-by-wire tech can be turned off remotely, as well as any GM with onstar.

Already done years ago.

LIKE A ROCK!

[Zynder]

Introducing the Chevy Gillette! Now with FIVE, count 'em, 5 back doors for the widest, easiest rear access available on any vehicle on the road today! Getting some junk into your trunk has never been easier!