I picked up on this in an email sent to me. There is no doubt that this technology will end up being misused by ...... guess who ? And I bet it will be a crime to turn these Black Boxes off or modify the data in them. So much for "owning" your car .........
99guspuppet DN2011m05d31i001
by Bill Wong
Black Boxes Are Not About Safety But Liability - Yours
Posted @ 5/24/2011 11:21 AM By Bill
Posted in [Processors], [security], [Automotive], [Rant] | 1 Comments
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) is looking to put Event Data Recorders (EDR), also known as the Black Box, in to all new cars. The guise of safety is often touted as the reason for installing these devices and to prevent tampering with them but in reality it is all about liability, usually the driver's.
Black boxes are well known components in large vehicles or ones that transport many people. Airplanes, buses and trains come to mind. In the past, a black box was a rather expensive device. It needs to be protected and mechanical EDRs needed a lot of protection. Fully electronic EDRs fit at the end of the spectrum. They do need to be ruggedized but these days a single chip microcontroller could be an EDR storing lots of information. Actually, EDRs would be great for the electronics industry because they could take advantage of the latest technology. FRAM-based microcontrollers like Texas Instrument's MSP430 MSP430FR5739 and Fujitsu's MB95R203A (see FRAM Micro Targets Medical And Industrial Apps). These chips are designed to handle the regular updates to their non-volatile storage.
The latest technology also lends itself to distribute EDRs since the actual storage device is a single chip. The reason for consolidating an EDR is to make it easier to locate. It is no longer about protection because what used to be an expensive part is very cheap now.
The type of information that an EDR would gather is already available on the latest cars because of the load of electronics being employed. Speed, location, accelerator and brake status information are standard and even tire pressure is being sent wirelessly to the car's computer.
As noted, I think this is all about liability. It will benefit lawyers and insurance companies much more than most people although if you are on the receiving end of a high speed collision then the information these devices could provide would be invaluable.
Collisions are one area where I think these devices in personal vehicles would be worthwhile if access to the information was limited. There are moves to make this the case forcing police to obtain warrants to view the information. Others simply want the data to be generally available.
I am more concerned about the use of the information by others including insurance companies and car dealers or even the local police. These days real time information can be sent over cellular networks. Just imagine getting a notice on your screen that you just exceeded the speed limit, received a citation and that it was already paid via debit card. It is not far fetched to assume that this will not occur once the EDRs are standard fare. Even detached operation is possible if the maps in the GPS system include speed limit information.
I just finished up an article about all this convergence of computing power, sensor information and wireless connectivity. Communication between cars and local businesses are part of that discussion. Now you could get an advertisement when you receive your eticket from a laywer that wants to represent you in the trial.
The black boxes are already going in selectively. Two large insurers, Zurich and Royal & Sun Alliance, are supporting it. The boxes track speed, vehicle drive time, acceleration, and braking. The promise is lower rates. Progressive Insurance calls their product Snapshot.
So beware of putting in new technology simply because you can. It may come back to haunt you.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA)
Australia Climate Commission says warming risk is real
Australia is one of the highest per capita carbon emitters in the world *1
The Australian Climate Commission has warned that the world's sea levels could rise by 1m *2 by the end of the century, much more than thought.
In its first report, the commission says the evidence that the planet is warming is stronger than ever. *3It said that climate science was being attacked in the media by people with no credentials in the field. *4
The Australian government has welcomed the report as it seeks public support for its proposed carbon tax. *5
The BBC's correspondent in Sydney, Nick Bryant, says the commission's report delivers a strong rebuke to those who question that human emissions are causing global warming.
It warned that the window to take action to limit global warming was closing fast.
Climate politicised
The report claims that climate science was ''being attacked in the media by many with no credentials in the field" and also that attempts to "intimidate climate scientists have added to the confusion in the public".
One member of the commission criticised the "fruitless phoney debate", and said that Australia "no longer had the luxury anymore of climate denialism", as he called it. *6
Polls suggest that support for forceful action on climate change has declined in Australia since the Copenhagen summit in 2009.
Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard said that she and the government accepted the commission's peer-reviewed report. *7
"We don't have time... for false claims in this debate," she said. *8
"The science is in, climate change is real. The science is clear - man-made carbon pollution is making a difference to our planet and our climate.
"We've got to get on with the job of cutting carbon pollution *9 and having a rational debate about it."
Liberal MP Dennis Jensen, a climate change sceptic, told reporters in Canberra that all the evidence pointed to global temperatures stabilising. *10
He argues that a carbon tax would not achieve anything. *11
The Australian government had put plans for a flagship emissions trading scheme on hold until 2013 at the earliest after the Senate rejected it twice during the previous Kevin Rudd administration.
Australia is one of the highest per capita carbon emitters in the world. see *1
*1 That statement is only relevant if you know how many capita there are.... how will this effort compare to the effect China is having ?
*2 What is the range of uncertainty ?
*3 I don't understand this sentence.......
*4 That may be true... and it may be attacked by people with credentials.
*5 No surprise here .... follow the money and power
*6 "You go , politician" ... use those logical fallacies.
*7 No surprise there.
*8 Yes, we do have time to get the science right ..... or what's the point ?
*9 Start with the desired result and then conduct the experiment. Ask Richard Feynman about that approach.
*10 He must be wrong since it does support increased government spending and power grabs.
*11 He is wrong.... it would result in a wealth transfer.
" You go .....golbal warming.... yeaaaaay
2014m02d14 Valentine's Day Update
"Meet the Press" promises a debate.... what is wrong ? Is there anything to debate ? Global Climate change is real .... isn't it ?
I essay forth in the comments section......
Here is one of my comments .......
@Daniel.D Thirdly .... there should be debate as there are 3 positions. #1 Climate change is real and caused by humans #2 Climate change is not occurring and / or it is not caused by humans #3 No one knows enough about the global climate to predict it's future and it's causes #ClimateChangeWhoKnew
99guspuppet 99globalwarming #ClimateChangeWhoKnew 777ClimateChangeWho Knew
