And you think Random DWI Checks are Bad....

PeteOz77 · 01-09-2008, 12:34 AM

Big Brother speed control to be trialled
Wednesday Jan 9 05:58 AEDT
State governments are set to trial a device that can automatically slow a speeding car using satellite technology.

The Australasian Intelligent Speed Adaptation initiative could first be trialled in Victoria, The Herald Sun reported.

Victoria Police Chief Commissioner Christine Nixon, several Victorian ministers, a former Victorian coroner and 45 other participants would be the first to try the speed reduction system, the report said.

All state and territory governments and the New Zealand government have been in talks to introduce the system.

Other trials are planned this year in NSW and Western Australia, the report said.

The system would cost between $700 and $2,000 per vehicle and would first be fitted to fleet cars, the Herald Sun said.

The technology uses GPS and a database that identifies speed limits on all roads and operates on three levels.

Drivers get an audible warning they are over the limit at level one.

At level two, the device cuts power to the engine to prevent the driver from speeding, but the system can be adjusted or overridden.

At level three, the system cannot be switched off or adjusted and all speeding is cut.

The device could be fitted to repeat speeding offenders, or to all vehicles.

A spokeswoman for Roads Minister Tim Pallas would not confirm any trial, but Queensland Transport Minister John Mickel said his government was involved in the talks.

"Technology is evolving all the time with these things, and my view with road safety is to see what the latest technology is and see if we can improve safety.

Queensland Transport vehicle safety consultant Michael Paine said the system could cut the number of serious accidents by 20 per cent.

The Herald Sun quoted an unnamed Victorian government website, which estimated the number of fatalities could be cut by almost 60 per cent if it was fitted to all cars.

http://news.ninemsn.com.au/article.aspx?id=78950

**Bobby_M** · 01-09-2008, 01:32 AM

Interesting tie in to the roadblock thread but it's rather different. This sounds like a way to limit liabilities in a company heavily based on driving like shipping companies, maintanence, taxis, etc. If your employer tells you not to speed because the vehicle "knows" how fast you should be going, you have every right to not take the job. It would similar to random drug tests as part of employment.

Stopping cars with no probable cause is a little different.

PeteOz77 · 01-09-2008, 01:43 AM

Perhaps you missed this part..

The Herald Sun quoted an unnamed Victorian government website, which estimated the number of fatalities could be cut by almost 60 per cent if it was fitted to ALL cars.

They aren't just talking about corporate vehicles.. that's just a way to test and implement it. I can see it being a standard requirement on all registered vehicles in the future... Why not? It's illegal to speed, so why wouldn't the Gov make it impossible for you to do it?

In that scenario, this is far worse than Random DWI checks.

Mr. Nice Guy · 01-09-2008, 03:43 AM

Think about this for a second, if you don't like freedom don't even read any further.
"My freedom is more important than your good idea" -bumper sticker

true in many situations...

Here in the States we are getting rid of the constitution it seems. I just wish that the people that want to infringe on other peoples rights because they dont believe in things such as the Bill of Rights would go live somewhere where their ideas were acceptable such as communist china! It's ok if you think it's important to stop everyone and search them, just take your ideas somewhere else... Yes I am talking about the mandatory searches and roadblocks going on here, anybody ever hear of the fourth amendment??????

Kevin Dean · 01-09-2008, 04:31 AM

Cars now-a-days have a computer in them.

I've LONG held that the governments of the world were "in bed" with software makers and have since demanded access to the source code for all of the applications I'm using, from my operating system down to my mouse drivers.

You can bet your ass that I'm also evaluating the software running on my car's computer and replacing it, where possible with Free Software that I'm still in control of.

If that fails, I like to remind myself that the Founders of the US kept us armed for a reason...

**brauhaus** · 01-09-2008, 12:28 PM

newer cars have computers that record if you wear a seatbelt or not, speed, etc. so if you are involved in an accident, this little "black box for cars" can give the authorities more of an idea what went wrong.

i think it makes sense for those driving vehicles that say, "How's my driving?" but then again, it usually isn't the fleet driver's fault, it's the dumbass that cuts off, tailgates, stops dead in front of a tractor trailer not realizing that fleet vehicles of that size cannot stop as quickly or maneuver as nimbly as the average car...

you can't prevent stupidity no matter how rigged something is. dumb people just exist and no computer is going to solve that.

skinfiddler · 01-09-2008, 01:10 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mr. Nice Guy

Think about this for a second, if you don't like freedom don't even read any further.
"My freedom is more important than your good idea" -bumper sticker

true in many situations...

Here in the States we are getting rid of the constitution it seems. I just wish that the people that want to infringe on other peoples rights because they dont believe in things such as the Bill of Rights would go live somewhere where their ideas were acceptable such as communist china! It's ok if you think it's important to stop everyone and search them, just take your ideas somewhere else... Yes I am talking about the mandatory searches and roadblocks going on here, anybody ever hear of the fourth amendment??????

You got it. We've already given over to the doers of good: Search and siezure, eminent domain, usurpation of state law by federal, politics-in-search-of science issues (like acid rain, Radon passive smoke, global warming er, now "climate change"etc.) are all examples. For too many it has become OK to tax or outlaw what the 'other group" does in the interest of (perceived) public good.

The overlords will decide what kind of car you can or cannot drive and how fast you can drive it; what the fat, sodium or sugar content of your food will be and when you may buy it; what will be allowed in your restaurant/bar; to what extent you may defend yourself etc.

Maybe in order to make sure how much you are drinking ONLY alcohol purchased from licenses sellers to registered customers should be allowed. None of this making it yourself crap. Because we have determined that collectively we will be better for it.

Hope no one minds when their own particular interest is the target, because if you've gone along with any of it in the past, you haven't a leg to stand on. The principles have already been violated.

BTW, Pete, how are you enjoying your Mr Rudd?

JW

**Bobby_M** · 01-09-2008, 01:32 PM

I agree you can't pick and choose which aspects of life the government can infringe on and or take total control over. You set the precedence and live with the consequences.

Just thinking outloud, but why all the talk of spendy GPS interaction. Sure it's a neat trick for the car to know what the local speed limit is but if government is going to step in and make the car "behave", the easiest and first step would be to limit the car's speed to the maximum speed allowed in the state the car is registered in. For NJ it would be 65.

The government would likely never do this because there goes the speeding ticket revenues and inflated insurance premiums.

The big difference between this and the DUI roadblocks; applying speed limiting technology would likely be done accross the board or perhaps to repeat speeding offenders, not people picked at random for no good reason.

beergears · 01-09-2008, 01:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Kevin Dean

You can bet your ass that I'm also evaluating the software running on my car's computer and replacing it, where possible with Free Software that I'm still in control of.

Yep. We will see, or are seeing the emergence of at least two classes of people, the ones who have retained control/found alternatives to the "common setup", and the others.

I am saving wine bottles neck foil to make a hat, just in case...

mot · 01-09-2008, 02:19 PM

IMHO that is the dumbest thing and infringent on my rights that I have ever heard.

and them saying if this was in all cars that it would reduce fatalities by 60% that is complete BS