August 24, 2003

Big Brother, Where Art Thou?

In most things, the UK lags behind the rest of the EU, generally sceptical of ideas immanating from Brussels. This time the Government here is a step ahead. Brussels would like to be able to track the drug smugglers and terrorists across Europe using electronic vehicle identification. The UK Government wants to use it for so much more.

The Government here is hoping to microchip every vehicle. This will save the lots of money. Not only will is save money, it will make lots and lots of money. It will save the cost of traffic cops -- what few of them there are left. It will save the cost of speed cameras which have by and large replaced the cops. All a car has to do is travel from one roadside sensor to another. The speed is calculated by a computer, which can then print off the citation and address it to the registered owner of the car.

But it isn't just a explosion in speeding fines that will have the coffers overflowing. The chip will also notify the Government when the road tax disc, MOT, or insurance has expired. It will even know when the car is parked illegally or following too closely on the motorway. A feasibility study prepared by the Association of Chief Police Officers has listed 47 possible applications for the chip. Every possible minor offence will be charged and paid for and the computer won't have to listen to any excuses, whether good, bad, or indifferent.

The Government will also know everywhere every car travels. Can't remember which day you visited family in Wales or friends in the Midlands? The Government can. Can't remember with whom you associated at a political meeting? Well, you won't have the records, but the Government will be able to correlate all of the chips at a particular location at a particular time. I'm sure any of my intelligent readers can extrapolate the implications from there.

The Government wants to get every car tagged within the next four years. As for the network of roadside sensors, well, surprise! it's already in place.

Posted by david at August 24, 2003 10:01 PM | TrackBack
Comments

David - How are the sensors in place? (it doesn't surprise me that they are... I'm just wondering if they've annouced *what* they are, where they are, etc.)

From chipped cars to chipped people... how long?

Posted by: Huw Raphael at August 25, 2003 06:02 AM

The basic information I had was from the broadsheet newspapers, specifically The Sunday Times.

The Met Office mentions the network of sensors on the major roads they have available which feed data to them for weather prediciton and road conditions.

The motorways here are also heavily monitored by CCTV. If they paid for improving the generally poor quality of the cameras, I'm sure there in more they could do.

I thought about mentioning the logical progression from chipped cars to chipped people. I don't think it will be long. They have the technology.

Posted by: David Holford at August 25, 2003 01:43 PM

Hmmm. Makes ME want to travel to the UK...er...UE too for that matter.

Posted by: Mary at August 30, 2003 04:26 AM