Hertz Rent-a-Peep
Things necessarily begin somewhere.
Usually, that somewhere is a backwater of some kind; only a few people are involved and the majority either are unaware it’s happening at all or they don’t care because hey, it’s not happening to them.
Until, one day, it does.
Over the road truckers were the first to be on the receiving end of speed limiters – and speed monitors – in their big rigs. And then came microphones – and cameras, too. For – of course – safety.
It is always for safety.
Because you can never be too safe, right?
Well, no one really cared much about Big Brother riding shotgun in Peterbuilts and Kenworths. Because most people do not drive Peterbuilts and Kenworths or even know anyone who does. Besides which, it’s for safety so how could anyone object?
But maybe they have rented a car recently. If so, their attitude may have shifted some once they closed the door and noticed the camera in their car. Well, it’s technically Hertzes’ car – but there’s the camera, regardless.
Hertz, it turns out, has been installing send-and-receive video cameras in some of its rental cars. Allegedly, to “activate live agent connectivity to customers,” says Hertz spokeswoman Evelin Imperatrice. In other words, like GM’s OnStar system except in addition to begin able to hear you, Hertz will be able to see you, too.
The system – Hertz calls it NeverLost(version 6) – is currently “inactive,” according to Imperatrice. Of course, it can be made active at any time.
And bet your bippie will be.
Hertz would not have gone to the trouble of installing these cameras in its fleet if they didn’t intend to use them. Imperatrice admits this, if elliptically: “We do not have adequate bandwidth capabilities to the car to support streaming video at this time.”
Italics added.
Ah, but that time will come.
“Hertz added the camera as a feature of the NeverLost6 in the event it was decided, in the future, to activate live agent connectivity to customers by video…”
Italics added again.
Keep in mind that Hertz (and other rental car companies) already monitor such things as speed. Some even fine you for “speeding.” These are not government tickets, but rather “fees” tacked on – or rather, charged to your credit card. The cameras can – and will – be used to see who’s behind the wheel (making sure it’s you – to be safe) and that you are driving safely – as defined by Hertz. Better not engage in any in-car hanky panicky. Electronic Imperatrice will be watching.
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