Your car is a smartphone on wheels: A team of researchers tested 21 vehicles and found that all of them transmitted data to a third-party domain. And over half were pinging advertising companies.

cross-posted from: https://piefed.world/c/tech/p/1432229/your-car-is-a-smartphone-on-wheels-a-team-of-researchers-tested-21-vehicles-and-found-th

Data sent by vehicles and companion apps included locations, VINs, and other identifiers. Amazon, Google, Meta, and Microsoft were among the top receivers of driver data.

www.consumerreports.org/electronics/personal-information/your-car-is-sharing-data-with-big-tech-companies-study-finds-a4474820962/

We just bought a new car this year (Kia) and I completely confused the sales lady when I told her we were not going to use the “connect app” or activate connect on the car itself. She was like “lets get you setup in connect” and I was “no thanks”

We have a nice 🚫 symbol with a radio tree behind it, so I 100% know the car is still connected to the cell network but it is not registered/connected to us, and no app installed.

Sure, we lose some functionality (remote start, and access to in-car wifi) but all of that is paid subscriptions. Sure they first x months are ‘free’ but after you gotta pony up $ to continue.

Note: I’m under no illusion tracking is just not happening for us now… I just want to make it harder where I can.

My wife just got a newer car last week so I’m asking you because you know more than I.

We never connected a phone to it but the GPS worked right off the bat. Do cars have standalone GPS now? As long as we don’t connect a phone, it can’t reach the internet, right?