Volvo's Cars Will Watch You While You Drive

[GTPNewsWire]

This is the discussion thread for a recent post on GTPlanet:

Volvo's Cars Will Watch You While You Drive

This article was published by Andrew Evans (@Famine) on March 21st, 2019 in the Automotive News category.

 

[RedRockValley]

It’s going to be fun having a road trip singalong with an FBI agent!

 

[Famine]

It’s going to be fun having a road trip singalong with an FBI agent!

I asked Volvo UK about this and just got the response a minute after the article went up (I've added it into the article now):

With the cameras, Volvo aims to collect data only in the ambition to make its cars safer and only the data that is required for the systems. The cameras will not record video and no data will be gathered without the user’s consent. Exact technical setup is yet to be determined.

We take the privacy of our customers very seriously. Volvo Cars will not share any private data without the user first giving consent. By announcing the installation of in-car cameras, we want to start a conversation about whether car makers have the right or maybe even the obligation to install technology in cars that changes their drivers’ behavior.

 

[Turbotwin01]

I feel like my car thinks I'm an idiot when it warns me about possible ice at 4 Celsius or lower, this takes it to another level.

 

[Dsavage27]

Invasion of privacy Volvo 👎

 

[Shofast]

Yea ill just keep daily driving my 69 nova ss. MURICA

 

[Leo Thorne]

Which is why I will buy an older Volvo instead.

 

[Joey D]

Every breath you take
Every move you make
Every bond you break
Every step you take
I'll be watching you

As a Volvo fan, this doesn't really bother me. Volvo as a company is aiming to make the safest possible vehicles and it's now addressing the biggest issue when it comes to safety on the road, the human element.

 

[Famine]

Invasion of privacy Volvo 👎

Have a read of the response Volvo gave me to my question on this exact concern. It's in the article, and also two posts above yours.

 

[Danoff]

@Famine so many of your articles seem to make me want to open used car websites. There was a time when you could buy a (new) car that was just a car. Like, you could drive it, and it would just do what you said.

 

[GTWelsh]

@Famine so many of your articles seem to make me want to open used car websites. There was a time when you could buy a (new) car that was just a car. Like, you could drive it, and it would just do what you said.

I second this entirely, all these new cars do is make (nice) used cars more desirable.

 

[Crazy Taylor]

Sounds like all future volvo cars need to come with a beige cardigan

 

[Griffith500]

The safest cars are the ones that never go anywhere... They should really just focus on fully driverless, this stuff is a bit half-baked if the car can't control itself first. Then why bother drive at all?

On the tech side, are they hoping that machine learning is going to be good enough at recognising intoxication and distraction, and just work by magic? Like it does(n't) for facial recognition? I'd be a bit worried about "safety" routines interfering with proper control of the vehicle.


On a less serious note, how do we volunteer to help train these systems?
Will they put cameras in dealerships and prevent entry if you don't have the correct attitude (/ cardigan)? Saves the salesmen having to "tactfully" escort you out...

 

[Belifant]

@Famine so many of your articles seem to make me want to open used car websites. There was a time when you could buy a (new) car that was just a car. Like, you could drive it, and it would just do what you said.

People said the same thing when seat belts became mandatory, ABS mandatory, etc etc :-D

 

[Danoff]

People said the same thing when seat belts became mandatory, ABS mandatory, etc etc :-D

I don't think seat belts should be mandatory (or ABS).

 

[EngieDiesel]

I don't think seat belts should be mandatory (or ABS).

You just reminded me of my grandpa cutting the seatbelts out of his brand new 1985 Cadillac because "it's safer to be thrown out of the car in a crash than get tangled up in the seatbelt".

Turns out the state highway patrol didn't feel the same way, nor did anyone he tried to sell the car to afterwards.

That said, I definitely do not believe that any safety system that is designed on the presumption that the car will know the situation better than the driver should be mandatory. Operator error happens, but allowing a computer to take any control away from the operator at the first hint of trouble is not the answer.

 

[Danoff]

You just reminded me of my grandpa cutting the seatbelts out of his brand new 1985 Cadillac because "it's safer to be thrown out of the car in a crash than get tangled up in the seatbelt".

I support your grandpa's right to be a moron.

 

[EngieDiesel]

I support your grandpa's right to be a moron.

Ironically, that event was what got me interested in cars to begin with, since I wanted to figure out why the carmakers put those belts in there if they were supposedly so dangerous. So I guess it worked out okay, except for the two ton lawn decoration that grandma never let him forget about...

 

[Eunos_Cosmo]

Misread the title as "Volvo's cars will watch you die".

I guess that's also technically possible.

 

[LOonIE]

Misread the title as "Volvo's cars will watch you die".

I guess that's also technically possible.

At least, it will park itself then.

 

[Epic B]

Every breath you take
Every move you make
Every bond you break
Every step you take
I'll be watching you

As a Volvo fan, this doesn't really bother me. Volvo as a company is aiming to make the safest possible vehicles and it's now addressing the biggest issue when it comes to safety on the road, the human element.

Volvo is now the police.

 

[mustafur]

Privacy seems to be a term for old school technology these days.

 

[TexRex]

Volvo is now the police.

Well aren't you a canary in a coalmine...

 

[Wolfe]

Privacy seems to be a term for old school technology these days.

Or autonomy, or individual accountability.

 

[RedRockValley]

I'm all for more safety in newer commuter vehicles but being watched is a little far for me, even if they claim they don't actively spy on you.

 

[sumbrownkid]

What if you drive like a madman, and have the face of one?

What will the Volvo do in response?

 

[kikie]

*Error, error, faulty data, krrrr, krrrr*


When a very beautiful sexy girl gets noticed by the Volvo camera.

 

[Tina Branford]

I just hope one day cars will come standard with alcohol sensors. If it detects alcohol concentration at or above the 0.08 threshold the car will not start. This would solve a lot of the drunk driving accidents.

With the statistics revealing that 1/3 people will be involved in a drunk driving incident and 28 people die a day from such irresponsibility it's high time that this is implemented. Why make a spying car? Just fix the pertinent safety concern issues. Though it's refreshing to see a manufacturer that holds safety in such high esteem. Overall I'm very impressed with Volvo and appreciate what they are aiming for.

 

[ZedNinetySix]

With the cameras, Volvo aims to collect data only in the ambition to make its cars safer and only the data that is required for the systems. The cameras will not record video and no data will be gathered without the user’s consent. Exact technical setup is yet to be determined.

We take the privacy of our customers very seriously. Volvo Cars will not share any private data without the user first giving consent. By announcing the installation of in-car cameras, we want to start a conversation about whether car makers have the right or maybe even the obligation to install technology in cars that changes their drivers’ behavior.
):

Are you not aware of how (for example) Facebook make such twisty and curvy terms/conditions? For many services you can not use without you consent, why wouldn't Volvo be one.

Prepare for unavoidable adverts while you drive, oh god...

 

[Famine]

Are you not aware of how (for example) Facebook make such twisty and curvy terms/conditions? For many services you can not use without you consent, why wouldn't Volvo be one.

I don't use Facebook and the words you've attributed to me aren't mine, they're Volvo's.