Your car knows a lot about you. 

Think about it.  It knows where you like to go for your morning coffee, how far you're willing to go to shop, whether $4 per gallon gas is forcing you to half-fill the tank or whether you're still topping off without thinking about it.  If you use a navigation system, it knows when you know where you're going and when you don't.  If you use a navigation system that locates speed traps, it knows something about your tendencies to look for ways around the law. 

Yep, if your car were intelligent, it would be gathering intelligence on you that even your friends and family don't have. 

And who would most love to have that information?

Advertisers.

The Detroit Free Press reports, "Over the next few model years, drivers will be able to do things such as find a nearby gas station with the lowest price, pay bills, order movies and schedule hair appointments.  But here's what the automotive industry didn't tell you: Advertisers will be providing the gas on this Information Superhighway."  The lukewarm popularity of General Motors' OnStar system has shown automakers that, while we want all the technology they can pack into our cars, we're generally reluctant to pay a monthly fee for it.  But that "is a hurdle that can be lowered by allowing advertisers to sponsor services or parts of the technology."  Microsoft Auto's senior product manager Velle Kolde "says most new vehicles could have navigation systems that are almost entirely supported through advertising listings tied to the map" within a few years.  "Advertisers would pay for premier placement in the map listings that come up when a driver is searching for a nearby coffee shop or a pharmacy."

Advertisers won't just want to place ads in front of you, however.  They'll want the car to tell them things about you.  "The aspect of this revolution most exciting to advertisers," the Free Press says, "is that they will be able to track whether your car actually went to their store after your saw their advertisement. It might even ask for feedback about what customers did at the store and thought of their experience there.  This will give advertisers a sophisticated tool to measure their return-on-investment -- provided drivers give their permission to share this data."

And that's the last major question controlling the growth of in-car advertising.  Autoblog notes, "Besides the irritation of a constant barrage of advertisements, there is also a danger in letting your car know too much about you. If your vehicle were to track your movements, or even purchases made from inside your vehicle, that information could be made available to other organizations. Those concerned that 'Big Brother' is watching them may not want features like this keeping their eyes on our driving habits."

Would you be nervous about the information your car could collect, and sell to advertisers, about your habits?  Or are you excited at the prospect of a nav system that can point out sales and help restaurants compete for your business by tailoring offers to your tastes -- information they get straight from your Honda?

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