“Internet of Roads” — Colorado Goes All-in With Increased Radiation and Surveillance
By Kevin Samson
ActivistPost.com
JANUARY 9, 2019
Evidently, a test run for smart pavement in Colorado that I reported on back in May 2018 was successful enough to give it the all systems go.
A plan to turn a portion of Interstate 70 into a roadway where cars communicate with street lights, signs and other internet-connected things just tripled to more than 500 miles.
Colorado’s “internet of roads” project will now extend to highways that reach from Pueblo to Wyoming, and Sterling to Utah, after the state Department of Transportation was awarded a $20 million federal grant earlier this month.
(Source: The Colorado Sun)
The article’s author goes on to tout the many potential benefits to driver safety, although there were no definitive studies revealed to support those claims.
However, what we do know is that the auto industry is working with government to provide a seamless transition into the future Internet of Things. So far, the threat to privacy has been at the forefront of criticism, as well as indications that data mining for profit is also behind the scheme. Even Reuters featured this concern in a recent article:
As vehicles get smarter, your car will be keeping eyes on you.
This week at CES, the international consumer electronics show in Las Vegas, a host of startup companies will demonstrate to global automakers how the sensor technology that watches and analyzes drivers, passengers and objects in cars will mean enhanced safety in the short-term, and revenue opportunities in the future.
Whether by generating alerts about drowsiness, unfastened seat belts or wallets left in the backseat, the emerging technology aims not only to cut back on distracted driving and other undesirable behavior, but eventually help automakers and ride-hailing companies make money from data generated inside the vehicle.
(Source: Reuters)
And, rest assured, the data that will be collected includes EVERYTHING. Reuters explains, my emphasis added:
“There’s no doubt this is a hot area,” said Modar Alaoui, founder and CEO of Eyeris, in a recent interview. His company combines five 2D cameras with AI technology for “in-vehicle scene understanding,” including car occupants’ height, weight, gender and posture.
Alaoui believes once automakers see the benefits of a camera tracking the driver, they will opt for more.
[…]
Analysis from driver monitoring technology could help turn on the heat, lower the seat or play a certain kind of music when a particular occupant enters the car. If a passenger looks toward the dashboard, a certain control could light up to help anticipate a need.
The Rest…HERE
