Posted on 05/02/2010 2:39:22 PM PDT by John Semmens
In a bid to save Americans from unsafe vehicles, Congress is proposing legislation to require all new cars sold in this country to come equipped with the same kind of “black box” technology now used on airliners. The spur to action was the recent problem with sticky accelerators in some Toyota models this past year.
Chairman of the House Commerce Committee, Representative Henry Waxman (D-Calif), called the bill “essential if we are to avoid the sort of problems we’ve seen in the automobile marketplace and on our streets. Right now, we are totally dependent on drivers responding to recall notices. This leaves too much up to individuals who may not appropriately respond. Government needs a means of stepping in to assure optimal social control. It’s a matter of public safety.”
A feature of the proposed technology that Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood called “absolutely critical” in testimony supporting the bill would be the capacity to remotely disable affected vehicles. “Contrary to our advice, many owners of the possibly defective Toyotas continued to drive these vehicles,” LaHood complained. “If the new technology were part of every vehicle we could have remotely shut them down and assured against further risk.”
LaHood discounted the potential danger of disabling vehicles that may be operating in traffic. “The technology will tell us where every vehicle is at any given moment and whether it is or isn’t in motion,” LaHood explained. “Shut-down signals wouldn’t be sent unless the vehicle isn’t moving.”
The potential inconvenience to motorists stranded because the government has disabled their vehicles is deemed “a small price to be paid to prevent potential crashes due to faulty equipment,” LaHood said. “Besides, most of the trips taken in automobiles aren’t strictly necessary anyway. For trips that are, people can take public transportation. There is no essential destination that isn’t served by a bus or train.”
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http://azconserv1.wordpress.com/2010/05/01/bill-would-expand-government-surveillance-of-banking-transactions/
I've already thought of 3 different ways to make that happen. Not that I make enough money to own a car. I always take public transportation since the accident where my boat overturned and all my guns fell out and my pickup rolled into the lake.
/johnny
Dammit! almost got me. My eyebrow was starting to twitch before I glanced up and saw the source.
The black box...if you haven’t figured this...would be able to capture your carbon emissions, and help in reporting them to the local authorities...so in effect, several years in the future...you could be taxed via the black box.
Black box should come with GPS also. Then at end of year we
can plug into a Govt station and pay all our taxes, speeding fees and mileage taxes that we didnt knew we owed.
EZ Pass can do some of this.
A civil liberties nightmare, I say no.
I believe some cars are already equipped with black boxes. Wait until lawyers are allowed access.
I almost missed the satire on this one. : )
I’ve often wondered about these wild reports of ‘Sudden Acceleration Syndrome’ ... not that they couldn’t happen, but if they did there is always: 1) the brakes (both pedal and parking), 2) a thing called “Neutral” which is easily shifted to from Drive, and 3) turning the ignition OFF (not where it locks the steering wheel, but where the engine shuts down - takes 1 click)
“...so in effect, several years in the future...you could be taxed via the black box.”
Na. The Federalises already have a plan of action in place for future tax collection. In the “Too Big to Fail” bill, the Fed will be able to track Individual Bank Accounts. Next step, put National ID # to the Account. Then.... You get the picture.
Mine already have ‘black boxes’- they have equipment needed in case of emergency-! I’m sure most of you can guess what that is, besides fire extinguishers and firearms-!
I know the guy who runs Progressive Insurance wanted to place devices in your car that recorded your speed and if your seat belt is attached. Everytime your insurance was up for renewal, they would download the data wirelessly and analyze it. If it reports you weren’t wearing your seat belt at anytime the car was in motion, they would jack up your rates. Any report of your car exceeding your states maximum speed limits, the same thing.
Next Congress will be requiring cameras in our bedrooms or will it be in every room of our houses? Big Brother has to keep tabs on the peons to ensure they’re following orders of the State.
Let’s face it, big corporations benefit by having consumers hamstrung.
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