Thread

1. prasadvara · 1790886388 · focus · HN ↗

   The ongoing theme of all these responses was shifting the blame to the consumer.

   As expected. I think consumers also need to push back on these practices, but the problem is, majority of consumers are tech savy but not privacy savy.

   1. slowin · 1790887238 · focus · HN ↗

      I'd love to push back, I'm not sure what that looks like though. I can't even get an open source/open hardware phone that's decent, let alone a car.

      1. ad_fontes · 1790888139 · focus · HN ↗

         You might want to check out Slate. It's about the closest thing to an open vehicle platform I can imagine.

         1. wiml · 1790889192 · focus · HN ↗

            Does Slate actually make any statements about the level of telematics/surveillance in their vehicles?

            1. ad_fontes · 1790889570 · focus · HN ↗

               IIRC, they don't have a cellular radio in the vehicle (or even a FM radio). All the connectivity is done via Bluetooth with a mobile app.

               It's been a while since I read up on them and things might have changed, but I have a lot respect for what they're doing. Full embracing right to repair and customer privacy when the entire industry is moving at lightning speed in the opposite direction.

               1. goodmythical · 1790890121 · focus · HN ↗

                  Aren't their companies that are doing their telemetry over bluetooth bridge to phone' internet? Not saying slate necessarily does, but it's certainly an available exfil surface, especially if there's a 'manage your slate vehicle' app.

                  1. SoftTalker · 1790895661 · focus · HN ↗

                     You can always just not connect the bluetooth.

                     1. goodmythical · 1791078911 · focus · HN ↗

                        Well, sure, but if memory serves, there are car platforms where you connect for say playing music and the cars app on your phone uses the bluetooth connection to exfil data to the car company via the phone's internet.

                        I'm just saying that "disable car's telemetry" is not necessarily 100% for preventing exfil of car telemetry if you then connect your phone while having the car app running.

                        Like, I'm not sure of the company, but I know there was some "I modded my car so it couldn't phone home but I'm still getting reports from the manufacturer about excessive acceleration" and it ended up being because the owner had disabled the car's telemetry but was using the app on the phone for remote start and music or whatever.

Unofficial Hacker News client; not affiliated with Y Combinator.