If you have a Tomtom..better watch out.

[patches]

I am sure the other makers are doing the same.

http://www.neatorama.com/2011/04/28/...d-to-the-cops/

[Bob Denman]

Does this surprise you?

[patches]

Being a very technical person, no surprise at all. I track my kids Iphones all day long..lol. Thanks Apple. However, if you read the fine print from TomTom, they stated they are not given permission to "sell" this information, however they can give it away. That is interesting.

[ARtraveler]

George Orwell was right: Big Brother is watching. (Classic Book: Title: "1984")

[Bob Denman]

[Brunswick]

I thought most GPS units (excluding smart phones, of course) were purely 1-way communication devices? That is, the receive statellite signals but cannot send info because they have no transmitter. Am I wrong on this?

[Jornie1]

They're sorry...

http://m2m.tmcnet.com/topics/m2mevol...-set-speed.htm

[Bob Denman]

Well I feel a lot better about the whole incident now...

[bruiser]

By the article the data was used in Norway, not in the U.S. I have a two year old Garmin so I don't worry about it.

[Brunswick]

"How does GPS work?
Each GPS satellite transmits signals to equipment on the ground. GPS receivers passively receive satellite signals; they do not transmit."
http://www.carid.com/images/gps-syst...omtom-faq.html

I'm assuming the device saves data for your driving and just sends it to the company when you connect it to your computer to update it. The data the company sold was just aggregate data on how fast people drive on specific roads. So it's not like the device can notify police that you are speeding right now. It'll be another 5 yrs or so before all new cars have to have that feature built in...

[WackyDan]

"How does GPS work?
Each GPS satellite transmits signals to equipment on the ground. GPS receivers passively receive satellite signals; they do not transmit."
http://www.carid.com/images/gps-syst...omtom-faq.html

I'm assuming the device saves data for your driving and just sends it to the company when you connect it to your computer to update it. The data the company sold was just aggregate data on how fast people drive on specific roads. So it's not like the device can notify police that you are speeding right now. It'll be another 5 yrs or so before all new cars have to have that feature built in...

I thought that some were starting to transmit as a function of their bundled features?

Also, I'm using my DROID more and more for GPS so that can transmit by default.

[boborgera]

You guys do know that every vehicle with a air bag also has a tattle tail.?

[Brunswick]

You guys do know that every vehicle with a air bag also has a tattle tail.?

Please elaborate...

[boborgera]

Please elaborate...

It's a little black box, That moments before an air bag deploys it will tell how fast you were going ,if you were braking or accelerating, which way you were turning the wheels.
Among other things.

[Brunswick]

It's a little black box, That moments before an air bag deploys it will tell how fast you were going ,if you were braking or accelerating, which way you were turning the wheels.
Among other things.

Interesting. Actually, I don't have a problem with that. It seems like it could help determine who is at fault in an accident. As I have managed to avoid any accidents in 24yrs of driving - sometimes despite the apparent best efforts of another driver - I can't help but to think that this technology is more likely to assist me than to harm me.

[boborgera]

Interesting. Actually, I don't have a problem with that. It seems like it could help determine who is at fault in an accident. As I have managed to avoid any accidents in 24yrs of driving - sometimes despite the apparent best efforts of another driver - I can't help but to think that this technology is more likely to assist me than to harm me.

That's how they nailed [not hard enough though] that Senator from S Dakota when he killed a Motorcyclist.

[Jornie1]

This company has an inexpensive airbag computer reset service for resetting airbag crash data as well as airbag fault codes.

A dealer will tell you that you have a bad computer module and will sell you a very expensive new one...

Airbag crash data has been on cars for a very long time...Don't you just love technology... Len

http://www.myairbags.com/?gclid=CLWT...FQLs7Qod6FFugA

[SpyderWolf]

If I recall correctly, when I purchased my last Garmin and was doing the updates it displayed some information about them gathering data about the roads you drive and the speeds you travel. I think there was a check box allowing you to opt out of participating, but chances are most people would never see it or even realize what it was they were talking about.

The day an officer comes to my house and gives me a ticket based on the GPS readings from Garmin is the day I will start to worry about something like this.

[SpyderRyderTV]

They would be hard pressed too prove if it was in your possession during any particular activity.

[Bob Denman]

They would be hard pressed too prove if it was in your possession during any particular activity.

Correct!

But a little paranoia can be a good thing too!

[Blue Star]

Can we retrieve this information for when I let my daughters drive my car? Just think of it now.
Dad to Daughter: Were you going 10 miles over the speed limit?
Daughter to Dad (with innocent look on face): No dad, I would never drive over the speed limit.
Dad to Daughter (pulling out Tomtom): Busted.

[Brunswick]

Can we retrieve this information for when I let my daughters drive my car? Just think of it now.
Dad to Daughter: Were you going 10 miles over the speed limit?
Daughter to Dad (with innocent look on face): No dad, I would never drive over the speed limit.
Dad to Daughter (pulling out Tomtom): Busted.

But 10mph over is what you're supposed to drive. they assign speed limits assuming people will generally drive 10 over. I've never gotten a ticket going 10 over. 12 over, however...

[Blue Star]

But 10mph over is what you're supposed to drive. they assign speed limits assuming people will generally drive 10 over. I've never gotten a ticket going 10 over. 12 over, however...

I routinely drive/ryde 10 miles over, but I told my kids if they get a ticket before turning 18 I will take their license away. Drummed it into their head so much that this weekend my youngest rented a car to see her sister (from NY to PA). She set the cruise, and drove all 5 1/2 hours going 65. Of course she is too cheep to pay a ticket, so that might have been part of it too.

[KipDM]

every single cell phone now had build in gps (for tracking) and the ONLY way to truly disable them: Remove your battery.

don't worry about it, just take out your cell battery every time you do something illegal

[stormtrooper]

I always had the same feeling about being tracked (speed) the day I signed up for E-ZPASS.