Is Insurance Black Box a 'Trojan Horse' for Road Charging asks the ABD?

Drivers are now being offered a £50 GPS black box, which will produce a monthly insurance bill based on miles travelled, time of day, type of road, location, and possibly the speed of the vehicle. Young drivers will be charged £1 per mile if they drive between 11pm and 6pm. Aside from the obvious implications for privacy and civil liberties, the ABD warns drivers that this information can also be used for the Government's planned road charging scheme.

An ABD spokesman who participated in the initial 5000-vehicle trial explains, "Insurance premiums are already based on a driver's accident/conviction history, age, the number of miles travelled annually, and the vehicle's insurance group. Why do we need to attempt a micro-managed premium calculation? We don't. The Government's own research shows that they are not trusted with an individual's personal journey details by the majority of the British public. The use of 'service providers,' such as insurance companies, is seen as a way around the problem."