By MassPrivateI
Five days ago, IDEMIA announced their plan to install facial recognition cameras in rental vehicles.
IDEMIA and Omoove are combining forces to spy on car renters everywhere.
You will never rent a car the same way thanks to EasyOpen solution that combines IDEMIA’s expertise in secure service enablement and Omoove’s experience in Shared Mobility platforms and on-board technology. (Source)
They got one thing right, “you will never rent a car the same way.” Because now companies will use facial biometrics to spy on your family vacations, shopping, dining, etc. in real-time.
This year, both companies have just announced the introduction of a new process for the digital enrollment of the driver combined with facial recognition technology, which will be implemented into EasyOpen solution.
Last year, I warned everyone that the Lincoln company has installed ‘complimentary’ TSA PreCheck biometric scanners in their 2018 vehicles. (Click here see how Honda’s 2018 Odyssey uses CabinWatch to spy on passengers.)
Turning rental cars into facial biometric surveillance platforms is a privacy nightmare.
How will law enforcement use facial biometrics?
Police will use facial biometrics to spy on your family
Law enforcement and car rental companies will be able to use facial biometrics to spy on your vacation no matter where in the world you go or which company you choose.
Car rental companies can combine GPS and facial recognition data to create an intimate record of your family vacation.
A 2015 news article in The Street, revealed that most rental vehicles are equipped with GPS location systems and cameras.
Numerous Florida car rental companies are notorious for literally shutting off engines of cars that cross state lines.
And another article in Komando warned that Hertz had secretly installed video cameras in their vehicles.
Once a rental company has your facial biometrics and other personal information, it will be easy for law enforcement and data mining companies to access those records. (Click here, here and here to find out how car rental privacy polices share your personal information.)
Who is IDEMIA?
IDEMIA, formerly known as MorphoTrust also wants states to do away with physical drivers licenses and IDs and store everyone’s facial biometrics on a smartphone.
As of August 2017, there are eleven states using digital drivers licenses and IDs in the U.S. (Click here to find out more about IDEMIA’s digital drivers licenses and IDs.)
Who is Omoove?
Omoove specializes in end-to-end shared mobility; in other words, they work with car rental companies to track a vehicle’s every movement in real-time.
Omoove gives your operators the ability to track vehicles and access diagnostics in real-time through a central console, so you never have to worry about losing visibility into key user and vehicle metrics again. (Source)
Unfortunately, IDEMIA is not the only company trying to install facial biomterics in rental cars.
A company called BioID also wants to install them in rental vehicles.
BioID admits that the “spying economy,” sorry I meant the “sharing economy” is a booming industry. But what makes them different from IDEMIA is they also want to use voice and eye verification for your safety, wink, wink.
Forcing car rental customers to provide their biometrics is law enforcement’s wet dream and is just one more way for DHS and the Border Patrol to spy on everyone.
If we don’t fight back against facial biometrics it will be too late.
You can read more at the MassPrivateI blog, where this article first appeared.
Image credit: IDEMIA
My big question is “what happens when these things break?” Does the car fail to start? What if you are in an area with no network coverage and the system can’t connect? Fat chance that the rental company is going to point out where the camera is located so you might accidentally put your phone mount or something in the way of the camera, the car won’t work and you have to try and call the service number of the rental company to have somebody come out with a new car. Won’t that be fun to spend hours doing on vacation or when you are in a rush to get to the airport to catch your flight? Will the system work if you put on a hat and sunglasses?
Here’s another one, is this really needed or are car rental companies looking to harvest more money by selling information about you or will they start up-charging for things like more than 3 pieces of luggage or having more than 2 people in the car? Will the camera see that you picked up some drive-thru food and are eating it int he car…… extra $5. Don’t do anything naughty or that might wind up in a compilation tape for sale at an adult video store.
They already charge you an extra “fee” if you speed in their car.
Next thing you no they will report you to the cops so they can mail you a ticket.
So have you got any details on which companies DO NOT have this technology?
big hut and dark glasses might help.. One can always blame the cover-up on the increased UV radiation everywhere…