Privacy fears over tracker in private cars
Posted, September 08, 2011 @ 17:00
A Conservative MEP is calling for caution over European Union plans to put so-called eCall safety boxes in all motor cars.
The European Commission in Brussels today (Thurs) announced plans to order all motor manufacturers to change their designs by 2015 to incorporate device in all new cars.
The eCall constantly tracks a vechicle's movements by global positioning and automatically sends an out an emergency call, including the car's location, in the event of a crash.
But Jacqueline Foster, Conservative transport spokesman in the European Parliament, raised grave concerns about the plan.
The MEP for north west England said: "We back all sensibe road safety measures and we were most supportive of the creation on a Europe-wide 112 emergency number.
"However the idea that motor manufacturers will be compelled by 2015 to fit all cars with these devices will mean extra cost to them, which they will pass on to the consumer.
"There is also an important issue of personal privacy. It's one thing having a GPS tracker in commercial vehicles for safety and regulatory reasons, but people may well not want one in their own private car, tracking and recording their every movement. That's different.
The privacy argument may well outweigh the safety one and we would prefer a voluntary approach rather than compulsion.
"If motorists choose to have this fitted in their car, at their own cost, then that is fine. But they and the manufacturers should have a choice."
Commission officials claim the eCall device would cost only €100 (89 pounds) per car, but there are fears the real long-term costs including fitting and maintenance could be far higher.