The European Commission plans to create a framework within which it will be easier for governments and transport operators to set up EU-wide tracking and monitoring systems for transport.
European Data Protection Supervisor Peter Hustinx, who is responsible for regulating EU bodies’ privacy practices, said that he had concerns about the proposals.
Though the systems are aimed at making transport more environmentally friendly and less time consuming, Hustinx said that they could be used to monitor individuals’ movements across the continent.
“The deployment of ITS will support the development of applications for ‘tracking and tracing’ of goods and will allow for the deployment of location-based commercial and public services,” said a formal opinion produced by Hustinx. “The use of location technologies is particularly intrusive from a privacy viewpoint as it allows for the tracking of drivers and for the collection of a wide variety of data relating to their driving habits.”
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