Thanks, that's helpful. I'm reluctantly considering purchasing a vehicle, possibly even relatively close to new. The ancient beater I drive when the bike won't do the job isn't subject to these issues, and might even be proof against an EMP. Tho' where the hell I'd get petrol in a post apocalyptic landscape is an as yet unanswered question. lol. I like the idea of the 'bells and whistles' of modern conveyances, and do so much in other spheres to limit corporate access that it makes sense to consider how to minimize in the case of a more modern car.
A lot of it has to do with things like Android Auto or Apple car play where the software needs access to your text message to read it to you and may need to send it to a more powerful cloud base system to translate your voice to text or the response from text into voice. These are legitimate reasons for using that data despite the taboo nature of how we view privacy and there are workarounds and technological breakthroughs that make it so those things can be done locally without sending it for processing but there’s pros and cons for technical reasons not to. That said does a system need to read every text message on your phone just to read out a text you’ve only just received absolutely not and this is where things get into the grey area.
The problem is that if you want that car you have to agree to these data policies that are very blatantly just trying to to take all of the data they can to monetize either directly from selling or trading or indirectly like improving services. What we need are strong laws in place to protect privacy but that’s an uphill battle when politicians are beholden to capitalism.
So to go back and actually answer your original question, yes, encryption is our only means or privacy assuming in this case signal encrypts data at rest.
ForestOrca@kbin.social 4 months ago
extant@lemmy.world 4 months ago
As someone who loves the bells and whistles and who recently bought a new vehicle last year a lot of the safety features are really nice to have but of all the tech features I thought I wanted I don’t really use. If I can conveniently stream audio from my phone or have a larger screen than my phone for navigation that’s placed somewhere I can glance at it is be happy.
That said I wouldn’t be too paranoid about the data the car is collecting because your cell phone and everyones phone around you is collecting the same information. It’s just that these manufacturers are realizing theres money to be made here, it’s probably why GM wants to stop including Apple Car play or Android Auto so there’s less fingers in the cookie jar.
Could you imagine living somewhere that you could commute locally and just work remotely and not need such a finacial burden in your life? What a fantasy 😔
ForestOrca@kbin.social 4 months ago
LoL, I must be living the 'life of Riley', then. My commute is less than a mile, and almost always by bike. And most of my errands, etc can be done by bike, as well. And yet the need for a car in our family is indeed extant.
abhibeckert@lemmy.world 4 months ago
And yet the need for a car in our family is indeed extant.
Let me guess - because while your home is ideally located for your daily commute, it’s not ideally located for the rest of your family?
I love travelling by bike, but unfortunately it’s just not possible to find a home that is within cycling distance for everyone in our household.
abhibeckert@lemmy.world 4 months ago
Android Auto/Car Play don’t require giving the car access to anything. It should just be a simple video signal output, touch screen coordinates, and audio output/input line.
And I’m pretty sure that is how it works, unless cars are applying screen reader/etc technology (TVs do that, so I wouldn’t put it past car manufacturers…).
I’m pretty sure this article is talking about bluetooth car integratino, not Android Auto / Car Play. The bluetooth car protocol sends a copy of your full address database to the car for example. I would never pair my phone to a modern car with bluetooth.
TheGrandNagus@lemmy.world 4 months ago
It’s a bit more.
The car can communicate to the infotainment whether headlights are on, so AA can set dark/light mode.
The car also communicates whether it’s LHD or RHD, so that it can switch button placement on the screen.
Idk what other data, if any, Apple/Google insist on having