Reports from frontline service providers in Australia reveal a concerning trend: domestic violence abusers are increasingly using smart cars as tools for coercive control. In addition, these vehicles are sold with the promise of apps and cloud capabilities. They come preloaded with features that can monitor and restrict victims’ whereabouts—which safety advocates have called a red flag.
Julie Inman Grant, head of Australia’s eSafety Office has sounded the alarm about this “sophisticated weaponry.” She used to call smart cars, “computers on four wheels.” As more people share their experiences of technology-facilitated abuse, the need for urgent action grows hard to ignore.
The Rise of Smart Car Abuse
Frontline service providers have noted a surge in cases where abusers exploit smart car technology to exert control over their victims. As a result, these vehicles are now commonly outfitted with capabilities like vehicle location tracking, remote engine start/stop, remote lock/unlock, and, in some cases, vehicle health/activity notifications. Yet this degree of pervasive connectedness can empower perpetrators to undermine autonomy, privacy, and personal space.
In one alarming instance, a woman found herself unable to drive beyond a one-kilometre radius from her home after her abuser activated a “kill switch” feature in her smart car. These types of incidents can draw attention to the lengths that many abusers will go to in order to continue exercising power and control over their victims.
Launched a little over a year ago, the eSafety Commission’s Technology-Facilitated Abuse Service has reported receiving around 400 calls. In addition, more than 20,000 inquiries from frontline workers and other community members have been logged from people looking to get advice on behalf of those directly impacted. This massive increase in reports highlights the serious and real need for awareness and intervention.
Technology Companies Must Take Responsibility
Micaela Cronin is a fierce advocate for survivors of domestic violence. Last, she makes clear that industry needs to own up to what is done with their technology. She concludes that as corporations race to develop smart car technologies, they need to implement “safety by design principles” to avoid these abuses.
Smart cars might be weaponized against targeted individuals, introducing lethal new dangers. It can lead to isolation, loneliness, and removal of victims’ autonomy in the process. Smart cars, trucks, and buses are more prevalent than ever. Manufacturers should bear the burden of making sure their products aren’t so easily hijacked by malicious actors.
The eSafety Commissioner has been vocal in support of these calls, pushing tech companies to put safety features at the forefront of their designs. Specifically, manufacturers are able to take meaningful action by implementing robust safeguards. This is an important step towards preventing the weaponization of smart vehicles and shielding marginalized people from coercive control.
The Impact of Coercive Control on Victims
This use of coercive control through digital cars is only one aspect of a growing trend of technology-facilitated abuse. Victims are put in a position where they are surveilled and followed against their will, stripping agency from individuals and creating an environment of hopelessness. The psychological effects can be immense, given that abusers have used technology to increase their control over their victims’ everyday lives.
The impacts of these abuses go well past the cost of an inconvenient trip. Victims are cut off from support networks, as they have limited ability to move about and seek help. Being under constant surveillance increases anxiety and decreases an individual’s sense of autonomy.
The eSafety Commission has recently been inundated with reports of smart car abuse. As you can see, we must take an all-hands-on-deck approach to solve this issue. Together we need to be shining a spotlight on the problem. Supporting victims and ensuring that technology companies are responsible for keeping their products safe from exploitation need to be our priority.
