[Old Boomer]

With hundreds of sensors and an always-on internet connection, driver surveillance in modern cars is about impossible to avoid. Here is an ARTICLE that describes the disassembly of a 2017 Chevrolet to see what's going on. Manufacturers collect any data that they want to, and there are no consumer protections about how long it's kept or to what ends it may be put. As the author writes, cars run on data these days.

On newer Subarus, there may be iSight data, Starlink data, driver attention data, cellphone calls made and answered, etc. The only recourse seems to be to find out how to disable the communications link between the car and the manufacturer. But that also is likely to disable the emergency communication function.

The article refers to a SMARTPHONE APP that is supposed to increase privacy and delete user data, but I haven't looked into it yet.

 

[asphaltaddict33]

The only problem I have with this stuff is how their lack of bringing it to the attention of the consumer borders on trying to keep it secret. It is a double edged sword though, on one hand its a potential invasion of privacy; but in certain situations like an accident the data recording could prove to an insurance company/police you were driving the speed limit and not erratically in the moments before a collision.

It is also kind of hard to get mad at car companies for doing this when we all carry computers in our pockets which do exactly the same thing. No car company will opt-in to more transparent privacy policies until them or tech companies are required to after some fiasco

 

[aggie113]

This is why I physically unplugged my starlink when I got my car. No need for it, no reason to leave it collecting info.

 

[Nasarog]

This is why I physically unplugged my starlink when I got my car. No need for it, no reason to leave it collecting info.

Yup, exactly!!!

 

[ol' stonebreaker]

If you don't subscribe is it still active and surveilling ? I don't wear a tinfoil hat. If I did I wouldn't be here on the net.
Mike

 

[Natedog]

This is why I physically unplugged my starlink when I got my car. No need for it, no reason to leave it collecting info.

Yup.

 

[FelineFreddie]

None of this is new. GM had the capability of transmitting on-line data and telemetry through OnStar, and that’s been around for decades.

Even discounting system telecommunication through the ether, data can still be stored in-vehicle and downloaded when the vehicle is being serviced through the ODBII connection.

To go one step further, drivers are constantly being monitored via highway cameras and other off-vehicle sensors. And, I won’t even get into cellphones being transported in the vehicle.

Minimizing data collection is going to become all but impossible, and in fact, we may be there already.