Right now, Apple’s fight with the Federal government over a backdoor to investigate the alleged San Bernardino shooters’ phone isn’t an auto issue. Yet. But it will be. 

Long story short, FBI wants Apple to create an iOs that circumvents security on its phone to give the FBI unlimited tries to unlock the specific phone in question. And here is where cars come in: Apple CarPlay. Who among you has Apple CarPlay in your cars? Exactly. And if you don’t now, but plan on buying a new car you probably will soon.  Whatever you see on an iPhone, you see on CarPlay. So the next logical step after opening up an iPhone for investigation would be to peruse CarPlay, too. This is a problem.

But don’t take my word for it; listen to Apple CEO Tim Cook:

“The implications of the government's demands are chilling…It would have the power to reach into anyone's device to capture their data. The government could extend this breach of privacy and demand that Apple build surveillance software to intercept your messages, access your health records or financial data, track your location, or even access your phone’s microphone or camera without your knowledge.”

The FBI promises to only use it for this one phone, this one time. But when ever in the last few years has our government kept its word? If Apple caves or gets forced to comply with the federal magistrate’s order, government and law enforcement officials have a precedent to pursue more violations of privacy (liberty) from any device. 

Look folks, think about all the assaults on privacy in your cars in recent memory.

Remember the license plate scanning problem? “We just use it to track bad guys by tracking everyone and we don’t have any statute of limitations on storage or any regulations on collections, but it’s okay because we’re the good guys,” the government said. That’s a reductive statement, but that was the gist of the rationale.

Do you really think that our government when given the green light to break into one phone, they will stop at one and that it won’t creep into our cars?

If you believe that, I have a bridge to sell you. Honestly, we need to ask ourselves which is more important: the imaginary blanket of security or our liberty.

But what do you think?
 
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Lauren Fix, The Car Coach® is a nationally recognized automotive expert, media guest, journalist, author, keynote speaker and television host. To read more of her blogs, CLICK HERE NOW.