Given the technological age in which we live, most of us are well aware that our privacy is not always completely protected and that what we regard as confidential information in our personal lives can sometimes be threatened and compromised. Thus, we create passwords, we shred documents, we think for a moment before we transact online.

How many of us have considered, though, that our driving habits and behaviors are possibly -- even likely -- being scrutinized and recorded by an unseen companion in our vehicles?

Spokespersons from car manufacturers matter-of-factly state that when we are speeding, driving without our seat belt on or applying the brake in arguably erratic ways, it is likely being recorded by an on-board data recorder. Moreover, and in the event a collision or other mishap results in an airbag being deployed in our vehicle, the recorder automatically saves such information for the period immediately preceding the deployment.