Carmakers are failing the privacy test.

Paco Dennis

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Location
Mid-Missouri
Big Brother is everywhere! :)

BOSTON (AP) — Most major car manufacturers admit they may be selling your personal information — though they are vague on the buyers, a new study finds, and half say they would share it with the government or law enforcement without a court order.

The proliferation of sensors in automobiles — from telematics to fully digitized control consoles — has made them prodigious data-collection hubs.

But drivers are given little or no control over the personal data their vehicles collect, researchers for the nonprofit Mozilla Foundation said Wednesday in their latest “Privacy Not Included” survey. Security standards are also vague, a big concern given automakers’ track record of susceptibility to hacking.

“Cars seem to have really flown under the privacy radar and I’m really hoping that we can help remedy that because they are truly awful,” said Jen Caltrider, the study’s research lead. “Cars have microphones and people have all kinds of sensitive conversations in them. Cars have cameras that face inward and outward.”


6 minute read

Carmakers are failing the privacy test. Owners have little or no control over data collected.
 

I wish I could say I'm shocked, but I'm not. Sneaky bastards. Privacy is a thing of the past. There's nowhere to hide.
 
Just read about this earlier this morning. I actually don't know if my 2019 Tacoma has data connectivity for software updates/ data collection. If so I might have to fashion a tinfoil hat for it. 😉
Just checked, no live data link, have to do updates by downloading to home computer, and transferring to Tacoma via USB drive.
As much as I don't like the sound of "I'll never do [...] again, I'm hoping to never have to buy a new car again. I decided not to buy DW a new Subaru, too many annoying electronics. Instead we're giving her 2010 Forrester a complete makeover.
 
Just read about this earlier this morning. I actually don't know if my 2019 Tacoma has data connectivity for software updates/ data collection. If so I might have to fashion a tinfoil hat for it. 😉
My 2019 Hyundai talks to the dealership all the time. It sends status reports. It sends me an email, when the battery gets low. And, of course, the GPS tracks where it has been, and at what times. Who knows what else my car is reporting. Apparently, my car is the chatty sort.

The car was supposd to have a 12,500 mile check up/oil change. The dealership sent me an email reminding that I was getting close to that, and should make an appointment.
 

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