Safety View

Byrds8 · May 14, 2022

Just read an article this morning about GM Future Roads and Safety View. Supposedly GM will be sharing data with the government. However, it doesn't really say how this will work. Is this something coming or will it use existing tech already in our vehicles? Have any of you heard of this and have any other info. I went to their site below but it doesn't mention HOW they will monitor. Thanks.

https://futureroads.gm.com/site/us/en/gm-future-roads/home/safety-view.html

mandrewbot3k · May 14, 2022

2 hours ago, Byrds8 said:

Just read an article this morning about GM Future Roads and Safety View. Supposedly GM will be sharing data with the government. However, it doesn't really say how this will work. Is this something coming or will it use existing tech already in our vehicles? Have any of you heard of this and have any other info. I went to their site below but it doesn't mention HOW they will monitor. Thanks.

https://futureroads.gm.com/site/us/en/gm-future-roads/home/safety-view.html

I signed up for the webinar to find out more, but this is my field of work, lol. My guess is the telemetry data from the vehicles will be shared in addition to location data and there is probably an opt-out.

My quick little soapbox: Systems like this will help agencies make better decisions to address safety on their roads, so I'm for it, but there are the obvious privacy concerns. What I can tell you though, is that cell phone data is already extensively used in this field and is basically impossible to opt-out of. So I'm curious how this system will differentiate itself from other available systems.

I have access to a system in which I can select a segment of roadway and it will show me where everyone that drove through that section is going to and from (it's not as precise as you're probably imagining). It goes by road segments/census zones but doesn't show peoples paths to their houses or offices or anything like that, much more big picture). It allow me to make better decisions and understand how patterns have changed over the years. It get's all of its data from 'location services' of hundreds of apps.

But either way, in the time of google maps and waze and other smart navigation systems, we have roadways that people are told to divert to that were OK for the 20 ranches that accessed them before but now they say it's 'faster' to use these side roads and it's causing real issues on our road network, road conditions and safety.

There are other DSRC systems in many cars that will communicate with traffic signals as well and share speed and location data so it can better capture the flow of traffic. And many vehicles have the information shared with it "Green in 5.4.3.2.1" lol. There are a lot of different systems out there in the rapid world of IoT, it's really hard to keep up with.

And another thing in terms of privacy, any data that's collected is 100% obfuscated so there isn't really anything on the end-users side that can identify who, only what. I had a bluetooth system that grabbed MAC addresses from vehicles that were passing by my systems but it hashed them all so the logs were unreadable to me. But it helped me better time our traffic signals.

DiverRick · May 15, 2022

Your GM vehicle is already sending "anonymous" vehicle data to them using the OnStar system. Long after any OnStar account has expired, it is still sending data to them.

Plus, as already mentioned, there is already a ton of location data collected and sold using all our phone's GPS data. How did you think Google maps is able to paint that red line showing where the slow traffic is?!?!

Byrds8 · May 15, 2022

I got that there a lot of things sending data etc. Granted I usually tell the few devices I have not to send anything. Didnt think much about Onstar though. Definitely have a point there. For the most part, I dont have smart anything in my house. No Social media and such. I figure its no one's business what I do when and where. Guess instead of buying a new truck, I should have bought a really old one ROFL.

Dirk13 · May 16, 2022

21 hours ago, Byrds8 said:

Guess instead of buying a new truck, I should have bought a really old one ROFL.

And have no cell phone or any device with the ability to connect to anything at all. That stuff you tell not to send data or track, likely still does so in some capacity.

I don’t get the concern. Many millions in the US have a cell phone and other connected devices, including cars. For the general public, what makes you so special or interesting that your vehicle data and/or location will be actively searched out and tracked by the gov or some company.

KARNUT · May 16, 2022

I spend about 6 hour a day alone while the wife runs her errands. If I get bored I just say Alexa and half my house wakes up. Then the fun starts. We’re being tracked it’s unavoidable. I’m such a creature of habit when I get in the car it tells me how long it’s going to take.

Byrds8 · May 16, 2022

3 hours ago, Dirk13 said:

And have no cell phone or any device with the ability to connect to anything at all. That stuff you tell not to send data or track, likely still does so in some capacity.

I don’t get the concern. Many millions in the US have a cell phone and other connected devices, including cars. For the general public, what makes you so special or interesting that your vehicle data and/or location will be actively searched out and tracked by the gov or some company.

No one said I was special in any way. I am just an average guy. I know things can be tracked in all sorts of ways. I am not lost on that fact by any means. But that doesn't mean I want to make it super easy for them to do so. I am not OK with them doing it without my consent. The moment everyone says its OK and just doesn't care that they do, another freedom is lost. I think it should be a personal choice if they mine data off anything I use or not.