[RahulNagaraj]

According to a media report, new car models have come to rival smartphones in terms of collecting sensitive data of their owners. This includes the driver's full name, address, phone numbers, email ids and even licence numbers.

Modern cars even record driving data, time and date of use, vehicle speed, location, weather and also the route taken to reach a destination. They also track refuelling activities, collect images from onboard cameras and even biometrics such as facial recognition and fingerprint data.



As per reports, different carmakers handle the data differently. While certain brands share the info with data brokers or other third parties, a few share/sell the data to insurance firms or even the government.

Having said that, Toyota does offer owners of the Tacoma, Camry, Rav4 and Highlander the option to decline consent before sending any data to the carmaker. Owners can "turn off data transmission on their vehicles" by contacting customer service.

Source: Wired

Link to Team-BHP news

[ranjith_cbz]

As they say data is the new oil. With so much of personally identifiable and monetisation potential data being generated car companies might have realised they are not in the business of burning oil but rather generating oil Unfortunately this is only going to increase as newer tech and intelligent connected car features and 5G technology keeps embedded into our cars.

While we see comfort, convenience and safety in these features, manufacturers, allied service providers like Insurance companies, data brokers and ad networks see a highly lucrative monetisation models.

[raptor_diwan]

Originally Posted by RahulNagaraj

The data collected includes the driver's full name, address, phone numbers, email ids and even licence numbers. Modern cars even record driving data, time and date of use, vehicle speed, location, weather and also the route taken to reach a destination. They also track refuelling activities, collect images from onboard cameras and even biometrics such as facial recognition and fingerprint data.

As I was reading this list, I couldn't help but wonder, "What else do they need, a DNA sample?!" I didn't even know half of that information about myself

These cars aren't just vehicles; they're undercover agents gathering more information than your nosy aunty next door!

[sse]

During my recent car purchase, the dealer sent my car for Temporary Registration. On that exact day, I got over 20 calls from 3rd Party Accessories Vendors saying they got x and y accessories for my car along with promotional messages by WhatsApp. I am not sure who leaked my Contact Number - Dealer or RTO - but it was concerning.

Recently, before completion of 1 year, I had to renew my Insurance. Again, I got calls / SMS from few Insurance Agencies that my Insurance is up for renewal and they can renew the same. No idea from where they got my name, car insurance details along with my contact number.

So, with connected car tech - they would collect more of our data and there would be very little that an average customer can do. Deeply concerning.

[furyrider]

Originally Posted by raptor_diwan

These cars aren't just vehicles; they're undercover agents gathering more information than your nosy aunty next door!

Well, we all have one more "undercover agent" tucked away in our pockets collecting even more data 24x7

Coming to the original post, the irony is that we end up paying subscription fee for these connected car services only for them to steal our data in the end. So, essentially, the car companies get this data for basically nothing.

As Mr Ranjith mentioned above, the car companies are generating "oil" by making us pay from our pockets.

[Samarth 619]

A suggestion: Why don't you guys file cases in consumer court? I have just a 2013 Duke 390 which collects nothing.
But, you guys have an actual chance of doing something great: protecting the privacy of millions of owners worldwide. The data that will inevitably used against the owner at some point of time.

Once you win a case, it becomes a reference for many to follow. The auto magazines will pick this up as a news item.

[sukiwa]

As per reports, different carmakers handle the data differently. While certain brands share the info with data brokers or other third parties, a few share/sell the data to insurance firms or even the government.

Strange. Doesn't USA have data protection laws similar to GDPR?

[shancz]

Originally Posted by RahulNagaraj

The report claims that carmakers like Ford, Toyota & Chevrolet collect up to 25 GB of data per hour and share them with shady third parties.

I have doubts upon this "report" :

1. What are they collecting ? No telemetry data can rake up such usage. The only option I am left with is that they're streaming a live feed of the drive in 4K.
I don't think that's happening "under the desk". Exception being auto-pilot cars like Tesla which do live stream the footage but that's with consent and I doubt in 4K.

2. Assuming its true, who pays for that 25GB/hour data ? I am assuming it uses an eSIM latched on either to the customer's provider or bundled with some subscription of the car. Whatever that is with existing data rates that is a significant amount, not easily missable. A 2 hour drive per day is incurring a 50GB/day data cost. Also this has to be stored on servers so outside of beta or highly paid subscription programs, I doubt this works with let's say even 100000 vehicles.

I would still go with the "taking out certain parts of data, quoting out of context and present as a clickbait" which is the trend these days. When called out by significant entities they can always hide behind the "upto 25GB".
I wouldn't really bother elsewhere but on TBHP I had to call it out

[mayankk]

Originally Posted by shancz

I have doubts upon this "report" :


I wouldn't really bother elsewhere but on TBHP I had to call it out

100% clickbait.
Heres what they got the figure from (link is in article):

Modern vehicles don’t just have one computer. There are multiple, interconnected brains that can generate up to 25 gigabytes of data per hour from sensors all over the car.

Title of the thread ought to be changed.

[AutoNoob]

Originally Posted by RahulNagaraj

collect up to 25 GB of data per hour

25GB/hr ??? I am shocked if this much data (even if available in the vehicle) can even be streamed continuously with current tech. 5G millimeter wave is still not widespread.

[N.A.GTC]

Originally Posted by Samarth 619

A suggestion: Why don't you guys file cases in consumer court? I have just a 2013 Duke 390 which collects nothing.

We don't have a robust privacy/data protection regime unlike EU.

In any case, most consumer forum won't uphold such a claim. Getting the members of a consumer forum to understand your right to privacy, why it matters, and how it is infringed will be the most difficult task possible in our legal system. This is notwithstanding the argument that could possibly be made that such practices do not in fact violate the Consumer Protection Act.

The only solution is to raise awareness so people are more vigilant towards protecting their privacy + advocating for a *proper* data protection law.

As for those who think we can ignore this because "your phone also tracks you". Well, that's the whole point. We don't want such intrusion. Plus, using facebook is optional - using a vehicle in these times is often not!

[Samarth 619]

Originally Posted by N.A.GTC

We don't have a robust privacy/data protection regime unlike EU.
In any case, most consumer forum won't uphold such a claim. Getting the members of a consumer forum to understand your right to privacy, why it matters, and how it is infringed will be the most difficult task possible in our legal system. This is notwithstanding the argument that could possibly be made that such practices do not in fact violate the Consumer Protection Act.
The only solution is to raise awareness so people are more vigilant towards protecting their privacy + advocating for a *proper* data protection law.
As for those who think we can ignore this because "your phone also tracks you". Well, that's the whole point. We don't want such intrusion. Plus, using facebook is optional - using a vehicle in these times is often not!

I agree to an extent. We do have the term "copyright" in the law, although its not quite related to this matter.

But, here we are talking about location tracking, how can this be allowed? A female can be most effective in claiming this in the consumer forum. There's a stalking law against such tracking. Only thing is, a company is doing it and not a person.
Plus, they're doing all this without making you sign an agreement, right? That alone can win a consumer forum case. You can still apply for a refund and one successul case will set a precedent for many others.

All that's needed is a robust lawyer.

[N.A.GTC]

Originally Posted by Samarth 619

I agree to an extent. We do have the term "copyright" in the law, although its not quite related to this matter.

But, here we are talking about location tracking, how can this be allowed? A female can be most effective in claiming this in the consumer forum. There's a stalking law against such tracking. Only thing is, a company is doing it and not a person.
Plus, they're doing all this without making you sign an agreement, right? That alone can win a consumer forum case. You can still apply for a refund and one successul case will set a precedent for many others.

All that's needed is a robust lawyer.

Copyright is completely unrelated - I fail to see how that would work here.

It wouldn't fall under the definition of stalking also, for a variety of reasons. See s.354D IPC.

Disagreed on the robust lawyer front too. Even if you take a Rohatgi or Singhvi, most consumer forums are still not going to be easily convinced by this line of argument. That is if you get a hearing in time - one of the consumer cases I'm handling has had around 8 months between two dates. It is worse outside Delhi. In fact I've been advising my clients to not pursue their claims in consumer forums but take it to regular civil courts as disposal there is faster.

Regardless, even if this line of argument is adopted, the best you get is a refund but no car. The ideal scenario is a car without unnecessary tracking. That is why a proper data protection law is the way to go.

Even if you have to work on this from the consumer protection act angle, perhaps approaching the Central Consumer Protection Authority might be a better option.

[shancz]

Originally Posted by mayankk

- Modern vehicles don’t just have one computer. There are multiple, interconnected brains that can generate up to 25 gigabytes of data per hour from sensors all over the car.
- Title of the thread ought to be changed.

- So they are adding up the max bandwidth of all components and making them seem as if they're somehow related to "your" data transmitted to the servers and there on sold to third parties. Wow
- Agree.

[Samarth 619]

Originally Posted by N.A.GTC

Regardless, even if this line of argument is adopted, the best you get is a refund but no car. The ideal scenario is a car without unnecessary tracking. That is why a proper data protection law is the way to go.
Even if you have to work on this from the consumer protection act angle, perhaps approaching the Central Consumer Protection Authority might be a better option.

Ok, thanks for the information. But how severe is the situation? Does no mid segment car exist without privacy? The text above says Toyota gives you the choice.
Also, I don't think we'll get a proper data protection law. In fact, I remember when the entire country and news channels were discussing some hot issue, our central government quickly passed a bill allowing 12 central agencies to spy on anything.
Aadhar, PAN, etc are all basically tools of spying, even though I'm not currently in doubt of the intention behind it.