Drivers Say No to Tracking Devices in New Cars

Well, at least they are not proposing – so far – tracking dirty cars.

Motorpoint – the UK’s largest independent car retailer – says two-thirds of motorists are opposed to tracking devices being installed in new cars. The web-based poll found 70% of drivers were against the introduction of so-called ‘black boxes’ into new cars.

Mercedes Benz recently made headlines in the UK after revealing they had fitted similar devices in their cars without warning drivers in advance. The news comes after EU proposals that could see all new cars made in Europe from 2022 fitted with location-tracking devices that would monitor a driver’s speed, driving behavior, as well as use of vehicle safety features. What’s worse in critic’s views, drivers would not be able to switch off these devices and the data collected could potentially be shared across countries.

“It’s quite clear from our survey that drivers as a whole are against the introduction of ‘Big Brother’ style technology in their cars,” said Mark Carpenter, CEO of Motorpoint. “While the technology does bring with it the ability to learn from our driving habits, there are serious implications in the way personal data is collected which need addressing before such tracking devices become commonplace on British roads.”