Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Allstate Patents Physiological Data Collection

Posted by samzenpus on from the in-measured-hands dept.

TigerPlish writes: Allstate has been granted patent no. US 20140080100 A1 for a "driving-behavior database that it said might be useful for health insurers, lenders, credit-rating agencies, marketers and potential employers." The program is just in the patent stage for now, but the company says: "the invention has the potential to evaluate drivers' physiological data, including heart rate, blood pressure and electrocardiogram signals, which could be recorded from steering wheel sensors." Imagine a world where you are denied employment or credit based on the information obtained from your car and sold by your insurer. What could possibly go wrong?

4 of 142 comments (clear)

  1. first??? by Cutting_Crew · · Score: 4, Insightful

    and who in the right mind would buy a car with wheel sensors?
    and would privacy advocates prevail to keep this from ever entering the market?
    what would keep someone from just putting gloves on so it cant read the pulse on your hand?

    1. Re:first??? by bondsbw · · Score: 4, Insightful

      who in the right mind would buy a car with wheel sensors?

      Someone who could save a few bucks by joining the "Safe Habits Driving Bonus" program.

      --
      All my liberal friends think I'm a conservative, all my conservative friends think I'm a liberal.
    2. Re:first??? by TWX · · Score: 3, Insightful

      I will continue to drive older, low-mileage cars. Right now my two vehicles are both of the 1995 model year and neither is OBD-II.

      --
      Do not look into laser with remaining eye.
  2. Re:it has already gone wrong by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Continuing with the slashdot redesign. Seriously, reading the articles is now an annoying chore. My eyes have to dart left-right to look at the comment count. The original design worked great. Change for the sake of change is bad, and undoubtedly will cost Slashdot in pageviews. The search for alternatives to slashdot is now commencing for me.