Anger as Dutch police use TomTom data

godtabh

http://www.breakingnews.ie/world/anger-as-dutch-police-use-tomtom-data-502965.html

Europe’s largest satellite navigation maker has apologised to customers for selling their data, which was then used by Dutch police to set speed traps.

Earlier, TomTom had reported weak first quarter earnings in which it cut 2011 sales forecasts and said it was seeking to compensate for a decline in demand for personal navigation devices by growing service revenues – including selling traffic data to governments.

National newspaper Algemeen Dagblad reported that police had obtained the information from the government and used it to set targeted speed traps, prompting angry reactions from TomTom users.

In an emailed apology, chief executive Harold Goddijn said the company sold the anonymous data believing it would be used to improve safety or relieve traffic bottlenecks.

“We never foresaw this kind of use and many of our clients are not happy about it,” he wrote.
He promised licensing agreements would “prevent this type of use in the future”.

TomTom reported first quarter net profit of €11m, up from €3m euro in the same period a year earlier. It also reported worse-than-expected sales of €265m a 1% decline.


Read more: http://www.breakingnews.ie/world/anger-as-dutch-police-use-tomtom-data-502965.html#ixzz1Ko5yysvx

I wonder does it happen here.

I often wonder about the position of safety and if this was the case here its all just about money (which is partially my opinion anyways)

ottostreet

I'm more worried about the day they are able to monitor, in real time, everyones driving by 'watching' Tomtom data.

godtabh

i wouldn't be too worried about that for a while.

Trinity were doing a research project on this and last I heard it wasnt going to well

keithclancy

Tomtoms cause f*cking bottlenecks here, when theres a map update suddenly a different route can become totally congested.

I would assume that they sold the routing data, i.e. where the traffic travels most frequently.

The cops then setup average speed cameras on those heavily traveled routes.

Average speed cameras actually speed up traffic flow as everyone drives at the limit rather than some faster and some slower.

Nothing to worry about .. you would want to be some tit, to be driving around the Randstad doing over 120.

All the speed cameras are on tomtoms anyway

I stopped using mine anyway ... slowly turns you into an idiot.

cyclopath2001

keithclancy wrote: »

Nothing to worry about ..

....Until you're in an accident and your TomTom is seized for analysis and all your past driving history is examined.

robtri

or they start to access your data and sending speeding fines for everytime you have been over the limit...
no need for camera's or operators or overhead costs...

keithclancy

cyclopath2001 wrote: »

....Until you're in an accident and your TomTom is seized for analysis and all your past driving history is examined.

My Tomtom Go has no such feature.. and its not magic, its just Windows Mobile with Tomtom running on top.

I wanted this feature but it doesnt store trips.

I think what their talking about is routing data based not actual tracking data. If tomtom were tracking your position and speed they would have been sued long ago

Del2005

ottostreet wrote: »

I'm more worried about the day they are able to monitor, in real time, everyones driving by 'watching' Tomtom data.

They already monitor traffic in real time, that's what the small cameras at the side of the road are for. They take car regs and wait for them to pass the next camera and display the average time on the big signs.

RandomAccess

Del2005 wrote: »

They already monitor traffic in real time, that's what the small cameras at the side of the road are for. They take car regs and wait for them to pass the next camera and display the average time on the big signs.

Anyone want to lend me their Koenigsegg so I can verify this on the M1 to Dublin? "32 secs to Airport"

Pkiernan

cyclopath2001 wrote: »

....Until you're in an accident and your TomTom is seized for analysis and all your past driving history is examined.

In that case I'm screwed = my Max Speed shows 834 km/h.

Had it on while flying from Germany to Dublin.

cyclopath2001

keithclancy wrote: »

My Tomtom Go has no such feature.. and its not magic, its just Windows Mobile with Tomtom running on top.

I wanted this feature but it doesnt store trips.

I think what their talking about is routing data based not actual tracking data. If tomtom were tracking your position and speed they would have been sued long ago

It may not store it in a way that is accessible to you, but to people with the right tools.

This article in The Register describes what happened in more detail. Who knows what the next upgrade might bring?

There's also reports from the US of Michigan police checking mobiles to see if you've been calling and driving.

Interesting times.

RandomAccess

iPhone users could be in the same boat

keithclancy

It goes on to say that collection of data is purely opt in by customers and is intended to provide them with real-time information about traffic conditions. It also repeats claims that TomTom makes all information anonymous and that the company can "never trace it back to you or your device."

Ah right.

Only affects people using TomTom Live.

Doesn't affect me then.