U.S. Department of Transportation: Put Tracking Devices in All New Cars

Rachel Ryan

Americans already have very little freedom of private movement even around their own neighborhood due to ALPR (automatic license plate recognition) technology being used by so many police departments across the country. But if the U.S. Department of Transportation has its way, all new cars will be pre-equipped with a tracking device to follow you everywhere you go.

Anthony Foxx, Secretary of the D.O.T., quietly told the Associated Press in February that the devices are necessary to increase safety for drivers. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration says equipping all new vehicles with these communication devices will decrease traffic accidents by up to 80 percent.

The proposal appears to be overkill, as all cars manufactured after September 1, 2012 already have black boxes in them that monitor driving habits, according to FederalRegister.gov. There are also several states, including Michigan and New York, that implant radio-frequency identification devices (RFID chips) in drivers’ licenses that can track your location as well. (Note: if you live in an RFID state, simply put your license in a microwave for 5-10 seconds and it will destroy the chip). But this new initiative would give government real-time access to all your travel patterns, and thus, total access to your every move.

Legal Ramifications

A 2013 poll conducted by the Alliance of Automotive Manufacturers found that 75 percent of consumers were concerned to some degree about companies using data collected from self-driving car technology for malicious purposes. The technology that allows self-driving cars to work effectively is very similar to the car-to-car communication devices the D.O.T. now wants in all new vehicles.

Americans are now fully aware, thanks to revelations made by former NSA agent Edward Snowden, that the federal government has the ability to listen to and store every phone call, text message and email you send and/or receive, according to Washington Post. Despite politicians, civil liberties groups and individuals filing several lawsuits challenging these tactics, the policies continue unabated to this day.

This new technology would give government a complete monopoly on details regarding your private life. It will also destroy groups like Alcoholics Anonymous and Gamblers Anonymous, and even prevent women’s from going to abortion clinics, all out of fear of being outed.

What Can You Do?

The D.O.T. says adding the technology to new vehicles will only cost manufacturers about $200 per car, so money will not be a hurdle. Driving-tests.org estimates that 72 percent of young people who take driver’s permit tests fail the first time. This is usually due to lack of knowledge and skill, something you cannot afford to ignore anymore if you wish to maintain your privacy in today’s world.

GPS tracking/black box devices in cars can be disabled or removed if you can find them. Take the car to a certified dealership for your make and model, and have them remove or disable it. You could also simply unplug or remove the antenna. Your owner’s manual should tell you where it is located.

Qualcomm estimates that it will take upwards of 15 years for the D.O.T.’s new initiative to be fully implemented. That means you have plenty of time to learn about the technology and protect yourself from government snoops.