Autoblog

Supreme Court: Feds not allowed to use GPS on autos without warrant

Zach Bowman — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:01:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Technology, Police/Emergency

Law enforcement agencies are now required to obtain a warrant before attaching a GPS device to a vehicle. The Detroit News reports the Supreme Court unanimously ruled today that the Justice Department was wrong when it argued that its agents didn't need permission to track private citizens without their knowledge.

The case in question centered around Antoine Jones, a Washington, D.C. nightclub owner and suspected drug dealer. Police installed a GPS device on Jones' wife's Jeep Grand Cherokee, which eventually led them to a substantial amount of cocaine. Jones was then sentenced to life in prison.

But Justice Antonin Scalia wrote that installing the device constitutes a search under the Fourth Amendment. Specifically, Justice Scalia said, "The government physically occupied private property for the purpose of obtaining information."

In the Jones case, law enforcement agents had obtained the proper warrants to attach the device, but didn't manage to attach it within the 10 days specified in the warrant. The FBI accumulated 2,000 pages of data over four weeks by tracking the vehicle.

Supreme Court: Feds not allowed to use GPS on autos without warrant originally appeared on Autoblog on Mon, 23 Jan 2012 16:01:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Supreme Court to hear automotive GPS tracking case

Zach Bowman — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 14:29:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Police/Emergency

The Supreme Court is set to rule on whether or not law enforcement officers need a warrant in order to track a suspect's vehicle with a GPS device. The case centers around Antoine Jones, whose vehicle was bugged for a month without his consent or a go-ahead from the justice department. The police have argued that such tracking shouldn't require a warrant because the location of Jones' vehicle on public streets is public knowledge. Advocates arguing against that stance say that the comprehensive surveillance constitutes an unjust invasion of privacy.

No one is disputing the fact that Jones was, in fact, selling cocaine when his vehicle was monitored.

Lower courts have sided with Jones' attorneys on the privacy issue in the past, though there is a precedent for allowing evidence obtained through warrantless GPS tracking to be upheld. The issue seems to be exactly how long law enforcement continues the tracking. Either way, law enforcement, prosecution and defense attorneys will all have a close eye on the outcome of the Jones case.

Supreme Court to hear automotive GPS tracking case originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 29 Jun 2011 14:29:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Report: Student finds GPS tracker stuck to car, FBI asks for it back

Jeremy Korzeniewski — Fri, 08 Oct 2010 15:58:00 EST

Filed under: Government/Legal, Safety, Technology

So, now that we know it is legal for the FBI to place GPS trackers on cars without a warrant, the next logical question is, how often does it happen? We can't say for sure, but the recent experience of 20-year-old U.S. student Yasir Afifi leads us to believe it's taking place more often that we'd like to think.

Afifi, who is an American citizen born here in the States with an Egyptian father, brought his Lincoln LS sedan to a mechanic who put it up on a lift. There, underneath the car, was an odd cylindrical tube connected to a device with an antenna. It wasn't a bomb, but it was a tracking device.

A friend took pictures of the device and put it up on the interwebs... which led to a gaggle of police officers and FBI agents showing up at Afifi's apartment complex in California asking for their device back... sternly. "We're going to make this much more difficult for you if you don't cooperate."

A tad worrisome, no? Says Afifi, "It seems very frightening that the FBI have placed a surveillance-tracking device on the car of a 20-year-old American citizen who has done nothing more than being half-Egyptian." We agree... but it apparently doesn't violate the 4th Amendment.

Turns out Afifi has nothing to worry about. "You're boring," said an unidentified agent. This is one of those rare cases where being boring is a rather good thing.

[Source: Wired via Engadget]

Report: Student finds GPS tracker stuck to car, FBI asks for it back originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 08 Oct 2010 15:58:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Mopar gets into the vehicle tracking / parental tattletale business

Jeff Glucker — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST

Filed under: Aftermarket, Safety, Technology, Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep

Mopar, the motor parts division of Chrysler, has enjoyed a nice long run providing parts and accessories for the entire Pentastar family. Whether you own a muscle car or a muscular off-roader, the Mopar catalog has you covered. Now it's venturing into a new arena with the launch of the Mopar Electronic Vehicle Tracking System, or EVTS.

A vehicle is not an inexpensive asset and it's smart to want to protect it. The EVTS allows you to do just that. There are three plans available - Base, Silver and Gold. Each offers an increasing level of protection and service. The Base plan features a GPS vehicle locator, real-time tracking if your vehicle is stolen and a $1,000 theft-protection warranty. Silver ups the ante by including text-based alerts for parents. If a set speed limit or distance cap is exceeded, the owner gets a text message ("OMG, Billy juz hit 107 mph! Hez gonna get spanked, LOL!!!"). In addition to the warning alerts, the Silver plan provides arrival and departure notices, a map of locations visited, an available 24/7 emergency service contact, automatic theft notification and an on-board panic button. The top-tier Gold plan has all of those features but adds unlimited online tracking and a concierge service. The concierge allows the owner to call for directions, make reservations and assistance for other personal queries.

The Mopar Electronic Vehicle Tracking System starts at $495, not including installation. The Silver and Gold plans require an additional yearly subscription priced at $149 and $249, respectively. Quite wisely, Mopar built the system to be transferable and upgradeable. Check out the press release after the jump for more details.

[Source: Chrysler]

Continue reading Mopar gets into the vehicle tracking / parental tattletale business

Mopar gets into the vehicle tracking / parental tattletale business originally appeared on Autoblog on Tue, 28 Sep 2010 18:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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REPORT: Parents of teen with speeding ticket fighting citation with personal GPS data

Michael Harley — Fri, 18 Sep 2009 08:30:00 EST

Filed under: Etc., Government/Legal, Technology

It seems as though there may just be a positive side to those unwelcome GPS-based vehicle tracking devices... especially if you are a teenager. Shaun Malone, a 17-year-old California resident, was cited by radar-yielding authorities for driving 62 mph in a 45 mph zone in 2007. Faced with a $194 fine (and some inflating insurance premiums), Shaun's parents fought back arguing their son's vehicle was equipped with a satellite-based tracking device that monitored Shaun's speed - and it showed he was doing 45 mph when he was stopped.

While they can be affected by poor reception or noise in the radio signal, GPS-based speedometers are generally considered the benchmark for measuring velocity. On the other hand, radar measurements are also considered very accurate, as long as the human at the other end of the device is correctly trained and is tracking the proper vehicle. At stake is the credibility of radar. As Doppler-based speed enforcement has become a primary source of revenue for law enforcement agencies nationwide, police don't want their technology challenged. With that in mind, the local Petaluma police have spent a reported $15,000 on the trial. The case is to be decided in the coming weeks.

[Source: Christian Science Monitor]

REPORT: Parents of teen with speeding ticket fighting citation with personal GPS data originally appeared on Autoblog on Fri, 18 Sep 2009 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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CES 2008: CarShield offers telematics on the (kinda) cheap

Chris Tutor — Wed, 16 Jan 2008 18:03:00 EST

Filed under: Gadgets, CES, Safety

That little red box contains a lot of electronic goodies that, until now, were only available as options on newer vehicles. Plug that plastic rectangle into your car's diagnostics port and CarShield puts you in touch with your car like never before.

Like most simple telematic systems, it contains cellular capabilities, GPS and Bluetooth. Those technologies allow car owners to open locked car doors with a Bluetooth mobile phone and track where there car is, has been or is going. Got a teen driver? If the little brat ventures outside your pre-determined boundaries, the CarShield will send you a text message to let you know.

Perhaps more useful to the general population, though, are CarShields diagnostic features. It monitors your car's health, and alerts you via text message if your battery is getting weak, if your tires are low or, in some cars, if you need an oil change.

Continue reading CES 2008: CarShield offers telematics on the (kinda) cheap

CES 2008: CarShield offers telematics on the (kinda) cheap originally appeared on Autoblog on Wed, 16 Jan 2008 18:03:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Top five upcoming tech gadgets for cops

Chris Shunk — Sat, 17 Nov 2007 15:23:00 EST

Filed under: Gadgets, Government/Legal, Technology, Police/Emergency

Many criminals today have tools to evade capture, and now tech companies are doing their best to help law enforcement catch up. License-reading cameras, infrared lights, GPS tracking, enhanced communications, and WMD sensors are just a few of the ways that cops are helping to get criminals, but law-breakers are constantly adapting their methods. Popular Mechanics analyzed all the new technology that is helping the good guys catch the bad guys, and they've come up with a list of the most cop-friendly gadgets. You can check them out after the jump.

[Source: Popular Mechanics]

Continue reading Top five upcoming tech gadgets for cops

Top five upcoming tech gadgets for cops originally appeared on Autoblog on Sat, 17 Nov 2007 15:23:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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