OnStar stops hijack stone cold in its tracks
|
DETROIT (Oct. 20) --When two Visalia, Calif., police officers swung their cruisers behind a sport utility vehicle that had been carjacked at gunpoint early Sunday, they prepared for a dangerous high-speed chase.
The 2009 Chevrolet Tahoe roared away with officers in pursuit, but shortly after the suspect made a right turn, operators at General Motors Co.'s OnStar service sent a command that electronically disabled the gas pedal and the SUV gradually came to a halt. The flustered thief got out and ran, but was quickly nabbed after he climbed several fences and fell into a backyard swimming pool, police said. It was the first time since OnStar began offering the service in the 2009 model year that it was used to end a chase that could otherwise have had dire consequences. Source: http://news.aol.com/article/onstar-halts-carjacked-suv-ending-police/723539?icid=main|main|dl1|link5|http%3A%2F%2Fnews.aol.com%2Farticle%2Fonstar-halts-carjacked-suv-ending-police%2F723539
This is a GREAT service. Too bad OnStar costs so much. I do see potential for abuse of this by governmental agencies, though. “If you treat an individual as he is, he will stay as he is; but if you treat him as if he were what he ought to be and could be, he will become what he ought to be and could be.” ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe 
|
Im sure the thief will try and sue GM for somehow violating his rights.
And the owner of the pool for having such a dangerous facility out in the open where "just anybody could accidentally fall in".
"You durn kids get outta my yard!"
And with the legal system this country has im sure he could cash in on it too.
So I read about this yesterday....and then last night...there is a commercial on the tv about exactly the same thing.
I do see potential for abuse of this by governmental agencies, though.
Spot on, Bard. When we read about SWAT teams storming the wrong address (right number, wrong street), it doesn't provide much comfort to know that 'big brother' could tell the OnStar folks to disable your vehicle when you're racing to Community to get your grandkid's lacerated femoral artery sewn up just in time to save his life. Extreme example? Sure. But that's what we read about from time to time. How about the Verichip health history capsule inserted under the skin? How can 'John Q.' know what's on that chip before it goes in his arm? Remember the 'right number, wrong street' SWAT team?
The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not. - Thomas Jefferson
What about a woman or teen age girl who doesn't feel comfortable pulling over out in the country? she instead wants to drive to a more populated area before pulling over. Onstar kills her car, she panics and things become serious cause people do silly things when they are scared. How soon before the codes are hacked and they become a tool for thieves instead of a hinderance?
They show that on TV so you know some sicko is trying to copy that, just a matter of time until something bad happens.
They show that on TV so you know some sicko is trying to copy that, just a matter of time until something bad happens.
Bingo, J4F! With all due respect to a very inventive and progressive local company whose military-directed vehicle disabling device will be featured on the Discovery Channel, someone will, no doubt, try to copy the technology behind that product and use it for nefarious means. Look at the crooks who put dummy ATM card 'swipers' over the real 'swipers' to gain access to PIN codes and account numbers. I hope someday that we can develop (this will sound contradictory) technology that will cause the usurpers of that legitimate technology great discomfort when they try to duplicate it. Think of body parts falling off. Yeah, I know, not very Christian of me. My apologies to non-Christians.
The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not. - Thomas Jefferson
"Where's your arm, Ted? Been stealing PIN numbers again?"
"You durn kids get outta my yard!"
They show that on TV so you know some sicko is trying to copy that, just a matter of time until something bad happens.
Bingo, J4F! With all due respect to a very inventive and progressive local company whose military-directed vehicle disabling device will be featured on the Discovery Channel, someone will, no doubt, try to copy the technology behind that product and use it for nefarious means. Look at the crooks who put dummy ATM card 'swipers' over the real 'swipers' to gain access to PIN codes and account numbers. I hope someday that we can develop (this will sound contradictory) technology that will cause the usurpers of that legitimate technology great discomfort when they try to duplicate it. Think of body parts falling off. Yeah, I know, not very Christian of me. My apologies to non-Christians.
Crooks that use the dummy ATM swipers to steal card info deserve a lethal injection IMO. Had a scam company try to sneak through a test transaction on my debit card a few weeks ago, it failed because of ID theft protection. If someone has reached a point in their life where they have to try and hack and steal someone elses money they should just commit suicide IMO.