US rolls out 'Vicinity RFID' to check IDs in moving vehicles

Someone should set up a company

Which manufactures products designed exclusively to defeat such intrusive acts.

I'm thinking of maybe a lead lined wallet, a taser proof jacket, and whatever else you might need to stay free of unjustifiable government snooping.

@Anonymous Coward

(Once again showing what great technology leaders & forward thinkers the US automakers are.)??

Ever heard of protectionism? You dont want your partners in any free trade agreement to actually be able to sell people spare parts in the auto industry! You start putting japanese parts in American cars and they might last and then wheres your job for life?

Oh hang on...

Catching the USSR up

Your documents, comrade! (Only we won't have to ask.)

Next: the propiska (residence permit) and raspredelenie (job assignment).

"I'm sorry, Dave, I can't drive down that road..."

404: Job site not found

Apply within your permitted area.

@Mad Dave

Too late.. look up 'Stainless steel wallets' Some has already thought of the idea.

Planned obsolescence

"...parts in ...cars...might last and then wheres your job for life?"

I think this has more to do with the downturn in car sales than the economic climate. Cars just last longer these days, while remaining comfortable, reliable and convenient, and without the tender tinkering that the iron of old (pre-70s or so) needed to stay rust-free and without any knocking ends... So people don't feel the need as much to replace or buy new. Changes in tax breaks for company cars have also put a dent in the new car market.

It's not just about protectionism, it's about advancing development. The US manufacturers have had to compete with reliable, durable oriental imports, and even if they're not quite as good (they may be, I don't know either way), they're better than they used to be. If the average time that someone keeps a new car goes up from 4 years to 5, the number of people buying new cars has to go up 25% just to keep production at the original levels, more if you want growth.

(untittled)

The really scary thought is how many people will think this is a GOOD idea???

I'm not afraid of having a solid ID system (something that is actually secure for starters) as we really need it in this day and age. But an RFID system built in so they can scan the vehicle as you drive up??? I don't think so.

Passive RFID range

I'm rather surprised by this, afaik passive RFID chips can only be read reliably from a few cm, ou have to use active (i.e. battery powered) at the ranges the article mentions. Anyone got any info on the technology they are using?

Tim#3

@AC

Only a few states seem to be issuing the Enhanced Driver's Licence/ID cards (EDL/ID). Washington was first, with New York and Vermont also issusing them. The Texas governer blocked them from being implemented there.

Note that these are Optional, and Extra Cost, as they are designed to replace passports.

This could be happening in a country near you

I have heard it mentioned that this kind of technology or something like it could be included in the induction loops embedded in the roads and used for traffic counting and controlling traffic lights. I would be very interested if anyone has any info on this as I am trying to sell large scale databases to the British government and something like this would need another one to keep track of where everyone has been in their cars.

Still some pork in the barrel

"Were they only kidding, then?"

No, they were pouring some serious tax money down the throat of their (and their friends') companies, while pretending to care about some invented threat. Now there is some pork left, so...

There's a great idea!

... and bust any who happen to be flagged as terrorists ...

Wow, there's an awesome idea! Give all the terrorists ID cards that identify them as terrorists! Think how much easier it will be to catch them once they're forced to carry their IDs and show them at the border!

Time for a foil-lined wallet.

"The RFID chip on the card doesn't contain any personal information, only a unique identification number, and skimmers wouldn't have access to the data the number matches up with.

The system is intended to work like this. As a vehicle approaches the border post, the numbers of the cards inside it are read, and pictures and data on the holders are called up from a database."...

from a database, that they supposedly don't have access too according to the assurance literally two sentences previous. If I "have" to get one of these I'm certainly getting a foil-lined wallet.

tinfoil

why tinfoil? - a car, especially one with heated screens, ain't that far short of a Faraday cage already. Vapourware and security pork anyone?

AndyD 8-)#

Internal passports ?

You mean like Soviet Russia ?

Can you hear that ? It's the sound of a whole dynasty of Soviet rulers laughing their coffins off.