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First, I recently had to have a rental car. I saw something about collecting data on the car and wondered what it was all about but since it wasn't mine, I really didn't think too much about it. I wonder what kind of data they collected during my driving of this vehicle for 3 weeks.
What difference does the entering data on the dashboard, and pushing buttons have than texting. You're eyes are off the road. This is another potential problem with distracted drivers.
Last (at least for now), if these companies are making more money than what the cost of the car is, why not discount these cars even more. If you're collecting data and making more money on top of the sale of the car, you can't have your cake and eat it too...give the consumers a nice big slice!!!!
I wouldn't buy a car with these features. Would you??
First, I recently had to have a rental car. I saw something about collecting data on the car and wondered what it was all about but since it wasn't mine, I really didn't think too much about it. I wonder what kind of data they collected during my driving of this vehicle for 3 weeks.
What difference does the entering data on the dashboard, and pushing buttons have than texting. You're eyes are off the road. This is another potential problem with distracted drivers.
Last (at least for now), if these companies are making more money than what the cost of the car is, why not discount these cars even more. If you're collecting data and making more money on top of the sale of the car, you can't have your cake and eat it too...give the consumers a nice big slice!!!!
I wouldn't buy a car with these features. Would you??
I wouldn't. Same reason I don't have a smart phone. My brother says something along the lines of, "But it's so convenient--why wouldn't you want to take advantage of that?"
Um. I have a couple of issues with that line of reasoning. Well, mainly one. Convenience? Maybe some people are oblivious to the way things really are. I have indoor plumbing, a comfortable environment at the touch of a switch, clean water at my finger-tips and ready-to-eat food at the most a few minutes drive down the road at the grocery store. That's pretty d--n convenient compared to how most people live in the world and have lived for most of the past thousands of years.
I'm good with using my brain to figure things out with a map or what-have-you, and if figuring things out takes a little more time or may be inaccessible at some times (well, I'll find another way then), that's okay; it's not a catastrophe. I've always been wary of the "convenience" trend. Things like this make me think, well maybe I'm not being that paranoid.
Even if this story is blowing things out of proportion, I prefer not to take things for granted. It's amazing how blissful you can be when you realize the things we in developed countries generally consider simple in life are truly, truly wonderful gifts.
Please. If you drive a current model of car and you weren't aware that this was happening, I have to wonder.
I was talking about this from the article.
"GM uses that data – with drivers' consent – to put popular brands at their fingertips. GM calls it marketplace, an attempt to cash in on the 46 minutes per day the average American spends in a car.
"Your driving behavior, the person in the car. We do have that data," said Rick Ruskin of GM Marketplace. "You've created this connection with merchants and brands. They know your data. We're bringing that onto the dashboard of the car."
Low on gas? It'll point you to the closest gas station and let you pay from the dash where you can also, order food or make reservations on the go, all based on what's close to the car's current location.
Ruskin said drivers are asked to opt in to the program the very first time they tap the screen on the dashboard.
"You'd accept other terms and conditions. And we'd let you know….that we may be using the location of your car to serve you," Ruskin said.
Privacy advocates point out that it's on us to start thinking about cars for what they've become: data-generating devices."
And no, I am not aware of this happening in my car because I don't have something I can touch on my dashboard that will point me to the nearest gas station.
The other stuff about sensors in computers, sure that's a probable event in any new car. Don't know for sure but wouldn't be surprised if it's there. I'm just talking about the stuff you can opt into. As far as what's shoved on you when you buy the car, not much I can do about that especially if I don't know about it before hand and there's no models mentioned to me that don't have those features.
I don't have the option to pay from the dashboard, but, yes, my car will tell me where the nearest Italian/Greek/Japanese/Mexican/what-have-you restaurant is, where to find the closest gas station, and how to get to a dealership if I have car trouble on the road. It also gives me up-to-the-minute traffic conditions. This stuff was standard when I bought my car, and it's already four years old.
Last edited by randomparent; 11-15-2018 at 12:09 PM..
You're complaining about (1) the car collecting data as you drive and (2) having to push buttons and enter data on the dashboard. Is there some connection between these two things you left out?
When I started talking about consumer data collection five years ago, the typical response was wanting to know how many tinfoil hats I owned and whether I made them myself. It's mildly exasperating to have the average consumer finally twig to how much invasive probing of their lives and actions is done, blatantly, and with none of it for consumer benefit.
None of this is illegal. Very little of it is controlled in any way. None of it is for the benefit of the data subject, as an individual, a household or a statistical group.
It's time regulation of these privacy invasions was brought up to meet 2018 reality. Those that still think it's trivial, irrelevant or benefits them need to get past a vague understanding of what's going on.
FWIW, the notion of automakers sharing such collateral revenue is nonsense on about six levels. You do realize you are advocating the most bedrock level of economic socialism with that idea, right? (And I suspect you find the s-word offensive because America.)
They are collecting data on every one us right now, as we speak...we are only aware of a few methods they employ though.
Its the secret methods that concern me the most...if they keep it secret, Im assuming there is probably a good reason for doing that, Im also concerned about what they plan to do with all this information ultimately too!!! I have a feeling it goes well beyond advertising and marketing purposes.
Making sense of the data that companies collect about consumers is how my spouse earns a living, so, yeah, I knew this was happening, and, yes, it concerns me.
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