- Intelligent Transportation Systems
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Big Brother May Be Watching You
ITS - how many of you know what this is?If you don't know, you will soon! It stands for Intelligent Transportation System and it is coming to a town near you!
Imagine driving down a highway and a warning device goes off inside your car, alerting you to hazardous road conditions or incidents ahead. Or how about an in-vehicle traveler guidance information system, that provides directions to restaurants, hotels, and general points of interest in your area.
The potential uses for the ITS are awesome. So are the potential abuses.
Imagine the IRS, the FBI, or even your local police department knowing every mile you have driven, and when, where, why, and how you traveled?
I am a firm believer in using technology to its fullest potential. With the ITS, I can envision a warning for emergency vehicles approaching your vehicle, announcement of stalled or stopped traffic ahead, automatic notification to law enforcement if your vehicle becomes disabled, and the list goes on...however, one has to wonder if we will give up some of our valuable (and quickly disappearing) privacy and personal discretion.
The ITS has the potential to create a fundamental change in our surface transportation system. ITS can enable motorists to make more informed choices about their travel routes. Not only will motorists benefit from ITS but both the private and public sectors stand to gain from this technology. The shipping industry will benefit from vehicle identification and monitoring and the status of their shipments. Cab companies can direct the drivers' movements. The commercial uses for ITS are being jointly funded by public and private sectors.
Thoughts to ponder: ITS can monitor and record our vehicles usage. This will lead to a whole new system of motorist taxation. Imagine driving down the highway, a sound alerts you and a message is displayed on an in-car screen, "you are speeding." This information is transmitted to the local authorities. The next day you receive a traffic citation in the mail. Or, you are on a rural highway, with a speed limit of 45, and your vehicle's speed is automatically limited to 50 mph. If this sounds like something out of Star Wars, believe me, it is feasible.
Today, some of our vehicles already have in place, the mechanics for speed limiters. Yes, that little black box under the hood can control and limit your speed. I still remember the manufacturers advertising change from "speed control" to "cruise control". I cringe at the word CONTROL. With control, someone usually loses freedom. I am sympathetic to environmental concerns, traffic accidents, and the host of reasons given for ITS, but I worry about potential abuses of my freedom.
When I look at change, I usually see the benefits and how change will improve our lives. When you compare the positives to the negatives, change occurs when the negatives are outnumbered by the positives. I am still concerned about "Big Brother" watching my every move, and giving up another piece of my privacy. My verdict is still out!