LINDA JONES has been under surveillance for the past eight months. Every time the mother of three leaves her home and drives off in her 12-month-old Toyota Previa, she is followed. Her tracker keeps a meticulous record of times, where she has been, how fast she has driven and how many miles she has gone. And when her journey is over, he sits and patiently waits for Linda to once again get behind the wheel of her people carrier before again noting her every move. Who is keeping a Big Brotherly eye on the registered childminder and foster carer? Is it the secret service? Is it the police? No, it's a black box smaller than the size of a DVD case that has been installed in the boot of her vehicle. Every time she starts up the engine and drives off, Global Positioning Satellite (GPS) technology records her trip. Then the box transmits its information to its employer via the mobile phone network. None of this is being done in secret, however. Linda, 46, is fully aware of the black box's presence in her life. For she is part of a 5,000-strong two-year national pilot scheme road testing Norwich Union's revolutionary pay-as-you-drive (PAYD) motor insurance. The technology, similar to that used in mobile phones, allows the insurer to bill motorists monthly for each mile driven. The scheme - which has already been piloted in America by Progressive Insurance - could substantially cut premiums for many low-mileage car users, although it may mean more expensive car cover for those who drive long distances. Norwich Union has exclusive rights to market the technology in the UK and Europe and, according to the firm's spokesman, Erik Nelson, the pilot is progressing well. While Linda is only three-quarters of the way through her first year as a volunteer on the UK pilot, she believes she will save substantially on her annual £300 car insurance premium. "I only cover between 6,000 and 7,000 miles a year, with a lot of short journeys. But with several children to ferry about my car is essential. Pay-as-you-drive is a good idea for a low-mileage driver like me." Linda, who is married to Chris, 48, an HGV driver, says several of her friends have expressed and interest in the system, along with her two eldest children, Rebecca, 24, a secretary, and Steven, 23, a builder. Her youngest child, Abby, is 13. "Car insurance costs a lot for young people, and Rebecca and Steven would be interested in anything that cuts the cost. Neither of them drives long distances and they could save money," Linda says. | 
