GPS, black boxes in vehicles puts drivers privacy up for grabs
Attorney Steven Gursten tells The Detroit News how data can be used against drivers in court after auto accidents
Every time a driver gets behind the wheel, odds are that car or truck is gathering information from built-in “black boxes.”
Black boxes are data recorders that preserve inputs from the vehicle’s sensors. This often includes the seconds before a crash occurs. After the auto accident, the data can be downloaded and stored to help law enforcement and lawyers determine factors that contributed to the crash, including speed, braking, steering and even seat belt use.
Amid increasing privacy concerns from drivers, attorney Steven Gursten told Detroit News reporter Karl Henkel about how this data can really be used.
Gursten said until the rules surrounding black boxes become clearer, drivers could unknowingly share personal information or have their own data used against them in court.
“These are still corporations and this information is still going to be worth a lot of money to various people. We are depending on the good citizenship of nameless people in giant corporations to keep our info private,” he said.
You can read the full Detroit News story here: High tech in vehicles puts drivers’ privacy up for grabs
Related information:
Black box data recorders mandatory in all cars by February 2014
Written By
Steve M. Gursten,
Attorney,
License#: P53632
Steven Gursten, attorney at Michigan Auto Law and one of the most successful auto accident attorneys in Michigan. Michigan Auto Law represents people seriously injured in car, truck, motorcycle, and bus accidents, including catastrophic injury, traumatic brain injury, and No-Fault insurance cases. Steven has recovered the largest reported auto and truck accident settlement of any Michigan lawyer, and has been named Michigan Lawyer of the Year and a Top 50 Michigan Super Lawyer.
Read Steven Gursten’s full attorney profileLegally Reviewed by Todd Berg, Attorney
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