Re: "Black Box" information retention?

motsco_ wrote:
> jim beam wrote:
> 
>> further reading:
>> http://www.vehicle-info.com/articles.php?id=22
>>
>> now imagine your onstar "driver assistance" system phoning home your, 
>> er, "driving habits" to your insurance company, complete with gps 
>> coordinates in real time....
>>
>> also:
>> http://www.harristechnical.com/cdr5.htm
> 
> ---------------------------
> 
> Slightly OT, but I've heard of rental agencies handing the customer a 
> big 'surcharge' for breaking the TERMS & CONDITIONS of the rental 
> agreement for driving the vehicle like it was stolen. (the GPS tracking 
> flagged them). They apparently thought they could bet from 'A' to 'B' at

> the speed of a rented jet. :-)
> 
> 'Curly'

well, you /could/ do this with an individual's cell phone too.  or 
credit card as you buy fuel along the freeway.  or use license plate 
reading cameras every few miles.  or have a transponder in every license 
plate and sensors in the road.  in fact, there are already sensors in 
the road in many places.  you know where there are two rings in the lane 
one after the other?  those are used to sense average vehicle speeds and 
density, and thus manage traffic flow.  putting a transponder in the 
license plate and having it talk to one of those speed sensors as you 
drive over it is trivial.  automatic ticket issuance is more trivial
still.