Liberty Loss - One More Little Piece with Vehicle Data Loggers

From the American Motorcyclist Association comes this warning.  Did you know that event data loggers (black boxes) will likely be on all new vehicles after Sept 1, 2014?   When a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking is announced, it is often unlikely that it will be shot down, unless strong public reaction is expressed.

Data loggers allow police and manufacturers and probably insurers to see the data on how you were driving (speed, swerving, braking, location, etc.).  This information can be used to refuse insurance coverage, to prove you were speeding or recklessly driving, to show you were visiting your mistress, just like Bay Area FASTRAK devices have been used.

Protect your privacy from event data recorders

U.S. Reps. Mike Capuano (D-Mass.) and Jim Sensenbrenner (R-Wis.) will introduce the Black Box Privacy Protection Act soon and are currently seeking to add original cosponsors. The bill will protect motorcyclists’ rights by requiring dealers to prominently disclose to consumers if an event data recorder, known as a black box, is installed in their motorcycle, the data collection capabilities of such a device, and how such data may be used. The bill clarifies that the owner of the motorcycle owns the data and it may not be accessed without the permission of the owner. Furthermore, this bill requires that manufacturers provide consumers with the option of controlling the recording function in future automobiles or motorcycles that are equipped with black boxes. In other words, the ability to turn the black box on or off. Currently, no federal law exists that clarifies the rights of vehicle owners to ownership of the recorded data. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration has issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking requiring black boxes in all cars manufactured after Sept. 1, 2014. The NHTSA already has disclosure requirements, but the Black Box Privacy Protection Act would make the disclosure more prominent and give consumers even greater choice and privacy protections. The American Motorcyclist Association protects motorcyclists’ freedom to ride and we support this bipartisan bill. If you are worried that your insurer will use data from a black box to increase your rates or have the ability to record data that can be used against you in a civil or criminal proceeding, then you—the motorcyclist—should urge your representative to become an original cosponsor to the Black Box Privacy Protection Act. Just follow the "Take Action" option to send a pre-written email directly to your representative. See here:  AMA Alert on Black Box Privacy