Auto manufacturers are investing heavily in the development of new technologies to keep vehicles safe and advanced. The increase in the number of subprime auto loans has compelled lenders to use a new technology, remote vehicle shutdown, which allows them to remotely disable the ignition of a car when a borrower falls behind on payments. Not just auto lenders, Police too use remote vehicle shutdown technology in the United States. It allows them to remotely halt high-speed hunt.
In 2009, General Motors planned to equip this system in 1.7 million new cars that allows pursuing offices to request that engines of stolen cars be remotely switched off with the use of OnStar mobile communications system.
With built-in global-tracking device, Onstar has been helping police to find stolen cars, as it allows owners to turn their car’s engine off. However, police can only ask for a shutdown when they have a vehicle in sight. An Onstar operator will inform departing suspects that the engine is about to stop. However, brakes and power steering will still function.
In 2014, the remote vehicle shutdown or starter interrupter devices were installed on about 2 million vehicles in the U.S. This system can be activated from a mobile phone application. This gives banks and credit unions an extra layer of security when lending to borrowers.
But, the technology might raise privacy concerns as well. According to New York Times, some borrowers say that their cars were disabled when they were only a few days behind on their payments. Few reports, their cars were shut down while idling at stoplights. Some mentioned that they could not take their children to schools or parents to doctor's appointments. With cars stopped without telling the borrower could lead to accidents.
