Z
Zack
There's an excellent article in Monday's New York Times about ways in
which various car systems (such as navigation and anti-theft services)
can be used to spy on drivers. It also includes the following:
"Tires, too, can tell on drivers. This year, Michelin began
implanting match-head-sized chips in tires that can be read remotely.
The company started using the chips to provide manufacturing
information that could help spot failure trends and to comply with a
federal law requiring close tracking of tires for recalls. But
privacy activists fear that the chips, which can be loaded with a
car's vehicle identification number, would allow yet another form of
automated vehicle tracking. 'You basically have Web browser 'cookies'
in your tires,' said Richard M. Smith, an independent privacy
researcher."
What bothers me is not just that Michelin is putting 'tiny radio ID
tags' (as the chips are referred to elsewhere in the article) in their
tires, but that they are doing so with no notification to the
consumer. I just purchased new tires for my subie, and spent some
time researching various brands. I didn't notice anything about these
chips on Michelin's website, and no dealer that I talked to about
Michelins said anything about them.
The article can be found at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/29/technology/29car.html
You will probably have to register with the NY Times site in order to
get it, but registration is free. It makes for most interesting
reading, particularly if you happen to have in your vehicle any of the
services/features mentioned.
Zack
'90 Legacy Wagon AWD Auto 155,000 miles
which various car systems (such as navigation and anti-theft services)
can be used to spy on drivers. It also includes the following:
"Tires, too, can tell on drivers. This year, Michelin began
implanting match-head-sized chips in tires that can be read remotely.
The company started using the chips to provide manufacturing
information that could help spot failure trends and to comply with a
federal law requiring close tracking of tires for recalls. But
privacy activists fear that the chips, which can be loaded with a
car's vehicle identification number, would allow yet another form of
automated vehicle tracking. 'You basically have Web browser 'cookies'
in your tires,' said Richard M. Smith, an independent privacy
researcher."
What bothers me is not just that Michelin is putting 'tiny radio ID
tags' (as the chips are referred to elsewhere in the article) in their
tires, but that they are doing so with no notification to the
consumer. I just purchased new tires for my subie, and spent some
time researching various brands. I didn't notice anything about these
chips on Michelin's website, and no dealer that I talked to about
Michelins said anything about them.
The article can be found at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2003/12/29/technology/29car.html
You will probably have to register with the NY Times site in order to
get it, but registration is free. It makes for most interesting
reading, particularly if you happen to have in your vehicle any of the
services/features mentioned.
Zack
'90 Legacy Wagon AWD Auto 155,000 miles