Since the days of Jack Kerouac, driving has been synonymous with a deep love for the open road. But that love affair is about to hit a speed bump.
Ford Motor Company is just one of many automakers advancing technology that weaponizes cars for mass surveillance. The freedom-loving company is currently pursuing a patent for technology that would allow vehicles to monitor the speed of nearby cars, capture images, and transmit data to law enforcement agencies. This would effectively turn vehicles into mobile surveillance units, sharing detailed information with both police and insurance companies. A Ford spokesperson said the patent is intended to be used by law enforcement only.
Ford’s initiative is part of a broader trend among car manufacturers, where vehicles are increasingly used to spy on drivers and harvest data. In today’s world, a smartphone can produce up to 3 gigabytes of data per hour, but recently manufactured cars can churn out up to 25 gigabytes per hour—and the cars of the […]
The Government does not trust you. It has been the case for many decades but was put on steroids by the so called “US Patriot Act”. The prototype was authored by our current dear President. Successive administrations have continued to shreaded the constitution because the system they operate in is fundamentally non-representative of the public’s will. If the Government doesn’t trust you, why should you trust it? Think outside the box.
I still drive vehicles from the twentieth century which are simpler to repair, with computers used only for basic operations. My truck has manual roll-up windows and a stick shift. Younger individuals can opt for cars that don’t connect to the internet; there are many reliable used cars that are much more affordable to purchase and insure. You’re not doomed to be surveilled and controlled by the national security state. When concerns about the invasion of personal privacy arise, I argue that my life is an open book. I say, “Spy away, I embrace total transparency.” Since I’m on the internet, I believe nothing is protected or private anymore, which makes life much less stressful.