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Worried about RFID and privacy? Panic about TPMS

Tue, 04/01/2008 - 22:03 — mdoneil

A federal law, the TREAD Act requires that a tire pressure monitoring system be installed on all new cars sold in the US.

This TPMS will use radio frequency signals to send tire pressure data to a central onboard computer. Since thre will be many cars in close proximity these sensors in the tires transmit an identifing code so that the onboard computer can extract signal from noise.

However there is absolutely no reason a sensor could not be embedded in a road, or placed next to, above, near or in some other way positioned to pick up these radio waves... radio you know like the one in the car.

Armed with the unique IDs transmitted by these sensors you could be tracked, or simply watched. Perhaps a sensor to see when you drive into the office parking lot, or to the mall or grocery store.

I can wrap my library books in tinfoil to keep the RFID from being interrogated, but what are you going to do wrap the car in a Faraday cage?

Enjoy the violation of your privacy.

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Comments

Wed, 04/02/2008 - 16:47 — nbruce

Strange

But I have faith that by the time you also have the sensor to get you through the booth on the interstate, and one to get you into the parking garage, and have library books in the front seat, that any additional tracking device will be totally screwed up.

Wed, 04/02/2008 - 19:26 — mdoneil

Already tracked

What is even more amazing is that the state requires that I post plain text information about my vehicle in public view.

Three in high CAPTIAL letters for everyone to see. A metal placard no less. I even have to pay a tax to the government to have this identification device provided to me to affix to my vehicle.

If I fail to pay this tax and fail to obtain this identification placard I could go to jail!

License plate, my eye it is a violation of my privacy!

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