Car manufacturers tracking driver behavior

Tesla may already be tracking the activity of drivers of its vehicles in California and throughout the country, and it is a trend that is likely to grow as other automakers begin gathering more information on driver behavior. Furthermore, that data will be increasingly transmitted directly to companies using the Internet.

Such information has already been used to contradict a driver's report of what caused a traffic accident. In June 2016, a Tesla Model X SUV hit the side of a building. The driver said that the car suddenly accelerated on its own. When the company looked at the data transmitted, it was clear that the driver had increased the pressure on the accelerator moments before the accident.

Drivers may dislike such information being tracked, stored or transmitted, but it is predicted that by 2020, 90 percent of cars will have the technology to track driver actions and send the data to the manufacturer or another company using the Internet. In 2016, about one-quarter of cars already have this capability.

Car manufacturers might use this technology to expand into the insurance business, or they may use the information to manipulate prices. Some insurance companies already offer discounts to customers who agree to more information sharing, and this may increase. However, as much as drivers may dislike this lack of privacy, statistics show that this type of tracking increases safety.

Although safety technology continues to improve, car accidents still cause many injuries each year, often resulting in high medical expenses and lost wages. Even when the driver responsible for the accident has insurance, the insurance company may not offer enough compensation to cover these costs. Therefore, a person who is injured in a car accident might want to consult an attorney to see what other options are available.