Your car is a spy

[Quattro Pete]

We already know that all new cars collect a ton of data on your driving behavior, but some of these additional items mentioned in the below article, if true, are a bit surprising.

Mozilla found brands including BMW, Ford, Toyota, Tesla, and Subaru collect data about drivers including race, facial expressions, weight, health information, and where you drive. Some of the cars tested collected data you wouldn’t expect your car to know about, including details about sexual activity, race, and immigration status,

The worst offender was Nissan, Mozilla said. The carmaker’s privacy policy suggests the manufacturer collects information including sexual activity, health diagnosis data, and genetic data, though there’s no details about how exactly that data is gathered. Nissan reserves the right to share and sell “preferences, characteristics, psychological trends, predispositions, behavior, attitudes, intelligence, abilities, and aptitudes” to data brokers, law enforcement, and other third parties.

Sexual activity, genetic data... what?

If You’ve Got a New Car, It’s a Data Privacy Nightmare

Bad news: your car is a spy. Every major car brand failed a recent privacy and security test from Mozilla. You’re probably driving around in a "privacy nightmare" that may collect information as sensitive as your race, health status, and sexual activity.

gizmodo.com

 

[JavierH19]

Go figure. It's no wonder why 90's Silverado's that used to sell for 700 bucks in 2012 are now selling for 5,000.

 

[Pew]

Mozilla doesn't list how the data in some categories are collected; like I highly doubt any car won't know what their owner's sexual activity is unless that owner registers on the manufacturer's website and accepts certain tracking cookies.

 

[Quattro Pete]

Mozilla doesn't list how the data in some categories are collected; like I highly doubt any car won't know what their owner's sexual activity is unless that owner registers on the manufacturer's website and accepts certain tracking cookies.

My guess is the mics and cameras in your car are always hot, so be careful what you say and do.

 

[tbm5690]

How are they seeing "facial expressions" on camera? I'm not aware of any camera installed in a way that would include the driver's face in view.

 

[ripcord]

Anybody have a nice mid 70s Dodge Dart they would be willing to let go of?

 

[Quattro Pete]

I'm not aware of any camera installed in a way that would include the driver's face in view.

Tesla has it. Genesis has it. Not sure who else...

This article on the use of cameras is a few years old, so I'm sure things have gotten even more intrusive now:

Where are the cameras in your car and what are they looking for?

Automakers like BMW, Tesla and General Motors and are positioning themselves to meet the increasing demand for cameras inside and outside cars.

www.usatoday.com

 

[SubieRubyRoo]

Mozilla doesn't list how the data in some categories are collected; like I highly doubt any car won't know what their owner's sexual activity is unless that owner registers on the manufacturer's website and accepts certain tracking cookies.

Microphones that record occupants give them all the data they need. Just ask Jeff Bezos…

 

[ripcord]

Accelerometers can detect small bouncy motions, IYKWIM.

 

[Hillbilly Deluxe]

People are going to get upset over a car collecting data but have every excuse in the world as to why they aren't about their phone, Alexa, TV, etc. in their house?

 

[Zee09]

The worst offender was Nissan, Mozilla said. The carmaker’s privacy policy suggests the manufacturer collects information including sexual activity, health diagnosis data, and genetic data, though there’s no details about how exactly that data is gathered. Nissan reserves the right to share and sell “preferences, characteristics, psychological trends, predispositions, behavior, attitudes, intelligence, abilities, and aptitudes” to data brokers, law enforcement, and other third parties.

Nissan ain't got nuttn' on @AutoMechanic then.

 

[BMWTurboDzl]

My guess is the mics and cameras in your car are always hot, so be careful what you say and do.

Not even that.

Unless you've turned it off, your phone is always hot and a lot of customers use their phone (e.x. Apple CarPlay) for commands while driving.

Thankfully BMW provides a lot of options to adjust the degree of sharing one wishes to engage in.

TBH I'm surprised that after 30 years LEO's haven't been given access to OBD data w/out a court order.

 

[alarmguy]

People are going to get upset over a car collecting data but have every excuse in the world as to why they aren't about their phone, Alexa, TV, etc. in their house?

But maybe those people like me fight and dont roll over to allow it. Fight and Prevent as much as practical.

 

[alarmguy]

Not even that.

Unless you've turned it off, your phone is always hot and a lot of customers use their phone (e.x. Apple CarPlay) for commands while driving.

Thankfully BMW provides a lot of options to adjust the degree of sharing one wishes to engage in.

TBH I'm surprised that after 30 years LEO's haven't been given access to OBD data w/out a court order.

You can take steps, I know for Apple they make it easy to deny Apps access to anything that you do not want to allow. Agree the public at large doesnt bother but I would suspect a larger number of Apple users do bother. But certainly not everyone, (like my wife as an example *LOL*)who uses gmail and google on her phone. Geez. ..*LOL*
WIth that said, for those interested Apple makes is more easy do to and its Sandbox system is known to be more secure..

 

[Pew]

My guess is the mics and cameras in your car are always hot, so be careful what you say and do.

Their eyes and ears will bleed by the time they're done with my recordings

 

[Owen Lucas]

TBH I'm surprised that after 30 years LEO's haven't been given access to OBD data w/out a court order.

4th amendment applies here. But that doesn't stop LE from buying your data from data brokers. It's an easy way to get around search and seizure but any car company sharing this info would face some serious backlash.

 

[Pablo]

We already know that all new cars collect a ton of data on your driving behavior, but some of these additional items mentioned in the below article, if true, are a bit surprising.





Sexual activity, genetic data... what?

If You’ve Got a New Car, It’s a Data Privacy Nightmare

Bad news: your car is a spy. Every major car brand failed a recent privacy and security test from Mozilla. You’re probably driving around in a "privacy nightmare" that may collect information as sensitive as your race, health status, and sexual activity.

gizmodo.com

In the car??

 

[Pablo]

People are going to get upset over a car collecting data but have every excuse in the world as to why they aren't about their phone, Alexa, TV, etc. in their house?

I get upset about ALL the listening!!

 

[UG_Passat]

I even had the GEICO OBD-II port spy. Saved plenty of money on my premiums

 

[2010Civic]

My 2010 Civic isn't connected in any way shape or form and I love it.