Where Are You Going?
14th December 2021
Flying cars are still the stuff of Jetsonian dreams, but self-driving cars are already here. But these semi-autonomous vehicles come with a host of issues. For instance, they must be able to deal with the erratic driving behaviors of humans, as well as unexpected obstacles on the road, such as a wild deer crossing the highway. But a critical though lesser discussed problem associated with self-driving cars involves surveillance. These vehicles look likely to be used as surveillance tools, closely monitoring our every move. Worse still, China, a country that has expanded mass surveillance and integrated it into every part of Chinese life, is leading the self-driving revolution.
“Self-driving cars will represent a new mode for surveillance,” says Luis F. Alvarez León, an assistant professor of geography at Dartmouth College, New Hampshire. “Through a self-driving car’s global positioning, system, navigational tools, and other data collection mechanisms, companies will be able to gain access to highly contextual data about passengers’ habits, routines, movements, and preferences.” According to León, whose research interests center around “the geographic, political, and regulatory dimensions of the informational and digital economy,” driverless vehicles provide companies with veritable treasure chests of “personal, locational, and financial data.” In turn, such data can be instantly leveraged and mercilessly monetized.