Motability Chiefs to travel to MP to defend their new “Orwellian” surveillance system 

Recently introduced changes to the Motability car leasing system for disabled people will be the focus of a meeting this Thursday, 7th May, between local MP, Andrew George, his constituent, and disability rights campaigner, Keron Day, and Motability Chief Executives, Andrew Miller and Nigel Fletcher. The meeting will take place in Andrew George’s constituency office in Penzance and will focus on the mandatory enforcement of “Drive Smart” technology used for all new leaseholders and drivers under 30. (Liberal Democrat disability spokesperson, Steve Darling MP, will also be represented, and former Home Secretary, Lord David Blunkett has requested news on the outcome of the meeting). 

Andrew and Keron will accuse Motability of imposing an “invasive telematics tracking technology” which goes way beyond what is reasonable and amounts to “Dystopian and Orwellian surveillance”. To use the Drive Smart App, a customer must have a smartphone, the Drive Smart App, always have Bluetooth on, keep their phone with them at all times, keep ‘low battery’ mode off and location services on, AT ALL TIMES. 

The system was only rolled out from 1st March, and already: 

• A woman recovering in hospital was called by Motability in her hospital bed to be challenged re. Why had she not used her car in the past 7 days. 

• People receiving a ‘speeding’ sanction when travelling by train. 

• There are multiple clashes between Motability rules and employment law for care workers who drive disabled people. 

• Receiving a ‘red mark’ when parking in a garage, because the system deemed they’d ‘crashed into a building’. 

Keron and Andrew will challenge Motability Chiefs on matters of surveillance, GDPR rules, the right to a private life, failure to secure proper consent, safeguarding and other concerns and will request that the scheme is stopped and reviewed. 

Andrew said, “I’m surprised Motability rolled out this scheme before they’d considered the multiple risks and failures. It’s a disturbingly Orwellian surveillance system which will cause them significant reputational damage and which will take much time and effort to repair. Keron has done a brilliant job in promoting and analysing the weaknesses and failures of the system. They should halt the rollout immediately and have a serious rethink.”