Car's 'Black Box' Sends Speeder to Prision - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

Jenya · 04-16-2004, 12:53 PM

Car's 'Black Box' Sends Speeder to Prison
Case raises concerns about privacy
Computer recorded his speed in fatality

BY: Miro Cernetig
Montreal Gazette

Thursday April 15, 2004

MONTREAL, QC—It was after midnight in Montreal, with not a witness in sight. Eric Gauthier sped through a downtown intersection, slammed into another car and killed Yacine Zinet, whom he accused of running a red light.

But Gauthier was being watched — by something under the dashboard.

A so-called "black box" was wired to the innards of his compact car, capturing every move he made in the seconds that led to the tragedy three years ago. The onboard computer, now standard equipment in many cars, recorded that Gauthier was driving three times the speed limit and that he never hit the brakes

Yesterday, a Quebec judge used that data to hand out an 18-month prison term to the 26-year old, believed by Prosecutor Jeannot Decarie to be the first Canadian jailed as a result of information captured by a car's on-board computer.

"If we didn't know about the data in the black box, we would have always thought my brother was driving fast and that he went through a red light," Belinda Matthey, the sister of Zinet, told reporters yesterday. "Without the black box we wouldn't know the truth."

But the groundbreaking case is also raising questions about the privacy of drivers, millions of whom have no idea that their cars may be equipped with devices that record data that might later be used in court against them.

The black boxes, now routinely installed by car manufacturers and increasingly used by investigators, were originally designed to ensure air bags deployed properly. But they have morphed into machines that can record what happened just before a crash and perhaps even provide real-time details of a driver's driving habits and destinations.

Ontario's privacy commissioner, Ann Cavoukian, said on one level that can be a positive, enabling police to take dangerous drivers off the road and punish those guilty of a crime. But she also warns most people have no idea their cars are equipped with the black boxes, known by experts as event-data recorders.

If used with satellite navigation systems it would be possible to locate a car anywhere.

"Then one could argue you have in your car a surveillance system that has the potential to have that information disclosed to the police," she said. "I think that's something that people need to be notified about."

In Europe, governments are already considering using such systems to oversee driving habits. There are proposals to use the technology to monitor drivers on specific roads, and fine them if they are speeding. The technology could also be used to bill drivers for toll roads they use.

Clayton Ruby, the Toronto lawyer who has long fought civil liberties battles, is also concerned about black box technology. There is no doubt it can bring some to justice but he warns it also means that thousands will be under surveillance, usually without knowing it.

"Most people don't realize they have this in their car," he said. "Even if they're told by some fine print in their auto dealership (agreement), most people are never gong to read it. They don't realize they are carrying around advice that can, in fact, be used against them."

dawsongirl · 04-17-2004, 01:04 AM

Wow. I can definetly see the benefits, yet it's kind of spooky to think your car could narc on you. Well, you know what I mean.

But if the box was right, he deserved jail time.

Jenya · 04-18-2004, 11:20 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by dawsongirl
Wow. I can definetly see the benefits, yet it's kind of spooky to think your car could narc on you. Well, you know what I mean.

But if the box was right, he deserved jail time.

I think if I ever buy a car, I'll just look around for a used one. One that's at least 5 years old.

I believe these so-called "Black Boxes" are for sure being installed in rental cars and company cars. So if you do drive them, don't be surprised if someone questions you if you messed something up.

PZelda · 04-18-2004, 01:52 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by Jenya
I think if I ever buy a car, I'll just look around for a used one. One that's at least 5 years old.

I believe these so-called "Black Boxes" are for sure being installed in rental cars and company cars. So if you do drive them, don't be surprised if someone questions you if you messed something up.

You could just lie and say that somebody else borrowed the rental car.

04-16-2004, 12:53 PM	#1
Jenya Supervisor Forum 3000 Club Member Join Date: Apr 20, 2003 Location: Canmore, Alberta Posts: 3,359	Car's 'Black Box' Sends Speeder to Prison Car's 'Black Box' Sends Speeder to Prison Case raises concerns about privacy Computer recorded his speed in fatality BY: Miro Cernetig Montreal Gazette Thursday April 15, 2004 MONTREAL, QC—It was after midnight in Montreal, with not a witness in sight. Eric Gauthier sped through a downtown intersection, slammed into another car and killed Yacine Zinet, whom he accused of running a red light. But Gauthier was being watched — by something under the dashboard. A so-called "black box" was wired to the innards of his compact car, capturing every move he made in the seconds that led to the tragedy three years ago. The onboard computer, now standard equipment in many cars, recorded that Gauthier was driving three times the speed limit and that he never hit the brakes Yesterday, a Quebec judge used that data to hand out an 18-month prison term to the 26-year old, believed by Prosecutor Jeannot Decarie to be the first Canadian jailed as a result of information captured by a car's on-board computer. "If we didn't know about the data in the black box, we would have always thought my brother was driving fast and that he went through a red light," Belinda Matthey, the sister of Zinet, told reporters yesterday. "Without the black box we wouldn't know the truth." But the groundbreaking case is also raising questions about the privacy of drivers, millions of whom have no idea that their cars may be equipped with devices that record data that might later be used in court against them. The black boxes, now routinely installed by car manufacturers and increasingly used by investigators, were originally designed to ensure air bags deployed properly. But they have morphed into machines that can record what happened just before a crash and perhaps even provide real-time details of a driver's driving habits and destinations. Ontario's privacy commissioner, Ann Cavoukian, said on one level that can be a positive, enabling police to take dangerous drivers off the road and punish those guilty of a crime. But she also warns most people have no idea their cars are equipped with the black boxes, known by experts as event-data recorders. If used with satellite navigation systems it would be possible to locate a car anywhere. "Then one could argue you have in your car a surveillance system that has the potential to have that information disclosed to the police," she said. "I think that's something that people need to be notified about." In Europe, governments are already considering using such systems to oversee driving habits. There are proposals to use the technology to monitor drivers on specific roads, and fine them if they are speeding. The technology could also be used to bill drivers for toll roads they use. Clayton Ruby, the Toronto lawyer who has long fought civil liberties battles, is also concerned about black box technology. There is no doubt it can bring some to justice but he warns it also means that thousands will be under surveillance, usually without knowing it. "Most people don't realize they have this in their car," he said. "Even if they're told by some fine print in their auto dealership (agreement), most people are never gong to read it. They don't realize they are carrying around advice that can, in fact, be used against them."
	__________________ Head-On...Apply directly to the Forehead! Head-On...Apply directly to the Forehead! Head-On...Apply directly to the Forehead! Head-ON is available without a Prescription Last edited by Jenya; 04-16-2004 at 01:10 PM.*

04-17-2004, 01:04 AM	#2
dawsongirl Member Forum Icon Join Date: Jan 04, 2001 Posts: 53,140	Wow. I can definetly see the benefits, yet it's kind of spooky to think your car could narc on you. Well, you know what I mean. But if the box was right, he deserved jail time.