Cadillac Smart Driver and Privacy Concerns

[Champale]

I don't think so -those are totally different systems. The fob hacking thing is real, but not widely used in the USA AFAIK. The truly paranoid can store their fob in a faraday cage. I just keep the car in the garage. When it's in the parking lot at work, I just count on my insurance to pay up if it disappears. Which I hope it doesn't, as it's a pain finding one of these things, still.

I remember reading a story about how some thieves would steal a Chevy (Corvette, or truck) from a test drive, and the first thing they do is rip out the on-star module. Then they can often drive it for months, years, before they get caught doing something else. So how hard could it be?

I really like the safety factor of having on-star notify EMS if I were to get into an accident. I do not like the fact that they track my every move, and that they want money for that potentially life-saving feature (which was included for free for the first 4 years on my BMWs). So when my trial period is up, I may well be tempted to yank that on-star antenna myself.

Fob hacking is VERY real in the Mopar world here in the US. I feel like for Range Rovers up until a couple of years ago, too, when JLR changed their system to make it harder.

 

[565565]

I wonder how many people who had their smart driver automatically turn on requested a LexisNexis report before that automatic activation.

Maybe requesting a LexisNexis report somehow triggers an activation.

 

[obeykube]

Class action lawsuit is being formed for people that have proof it raised their rates, per twitter "X".

I am assuming for new customers with this info the dealer will be able to help you make sure this doesn't happen when you pick up the car. For current customer, again the dealer should be able and should have to listen to you to help disable/remove this no? It is your car, I can't imagine the grounds for telling you "no"

 

[coffee_time]

I wonder how many people who had their smart driver automatically turn on requested a LexisNexis report before that automatic activation.

Maybe requesting a LexisNexis report somehow triggers an activation.

This hasn't happened in my case. I requested, it has remained off.

 

[Roadhawk]

I think I opted out...but will have to check. I can probably live without OnStar...will likely cancel once my trial period is up,,,,have to see.

3 hours after picking up the car in Atlanta I was on Tail of the Dragon exceeding 9gs on corners...hey the car is supposed to be made for this right?

 

[DCV]

9Gs? I think you meant .9 there Maverick.

 

[RS49]

9Gs? I think you meant .9 there Maverick.

No he meant 9Gs. In fact he bent the frame so bad it may never be air worthy again.

 

[coffee_time]

Regarding point 2: I think the automotive press isn't so much investigative journalism anymore, but rather click-bait bullshit to funnel ad dollars to the site. They're most likely going to take this NYT article and repost it with some stupid commentary and call it good within the next couple weeks.

Ha! I was right. NYT does the leg work and car mags just repost and change some wording. https://www.caranddriver.com/news/a60175396/connected-cars-driver-data-tracking-insurance/

 

[Matt27]

Looks like the games (lawsuits) have begun.

I think the stronger case is probably for one of us who 100% opted out of Smart Driver and still had reports end up on Lexis. @Throat Yogurt that's you, right?

I'm going to request my Lexis report too, but I absolutely never opted in and have never seen it turned on in the app. If my data is out there I may have some phone calls to make...

Florida Man Sues G.M. and LexisNexis Over Sale of His Cadillac Data

Romeo Chicco’s auto insurance rate doubled because of information about his speeding, braking and acceleration, according to his complaint.

www.nytimes.com

 

[RS49]

Looks like the games (lawsuits) have begun.

I think the stronger case is probably for one of us who 100% opted out of Smart Driver and still had reports end up on Lexis. @Throat Yogurt that's you, right?

I'm going to request my Lexis report too, but I absolutely never opted in and have never seen it turned on in the app. If my data is out there I may have some phone calls to make...

Florida Man Sues G.M. and LexisNexis Over Sale of His Cadillac Data

Romeo Chicco’s auto insurance rate doubled because of information about his speeding, braking and acceleration, according to his complaint.

www.nytimes.com

Good for him. I hope he wins.

That said, if some law firm out there isn't preparing a class action lawsuit on behalf of every customer car with OnStar, they're missing out on a billion dollar settlement.

 

[shbox]

9Gs? I think you meant .9 there Maverick.

IDK, he drives 100 mph everywhere he goes.

 

[BimmerFan]

Good for him. I hope he wins.

That said, if some law firm out there isn't preparing a class action lawsuit on behalf of every customer car with OnStar, they're missing out on a billion dollar settlement.

Likely easier said than done. You have to prove harm and the financial impact.

It will end up a $5 million settlement, with 4.5 going to the lawyers and each of us getting a coupon for a free oil change.

 

[RS49]

Likely easier said than done. You have to prove harm and the financial impact.

It will end up a $5 million settlement, with 4.5 going to the lawyers and each of us getting a coupon for a free oil change.

I'm fine with that as long as it stops.

 

[Roadhawk]

9Gs? I think you meant .9 there Maverick.

Correct.

 

[LS6-M22]

I just called Onstar and cancelled the whole 6 month free trial and 36 month connect service. I don't need Onstar and am pissed off that they sell our data. I had my smart driver turned on without my knowledge in the app. When I called the lady said "But its a free trail and just let in run out" . I had to insist I don't want your service free or not. They had to transfer me to tech. I did not consent to the smart driver thing and was really pissed off when I found out they turned it on. Very deceitful!

 

[Gilley]

Thanks to this thread I discovered the smart driver was turned on for my account so I turned it off.

 

[RS49]

Thanks to this thread I discovered the smart driver was turned on for my account so I turned it off.

The more I think about it the more aggravated I become. First off they named something incredibly stupid 'smart' as a manipulative tactic to get dummies to accept something clearly bad. Then they surreptitiously opt you into it whether you like it or not. When you opt out, first chance they get they deceitfully opt you back in after updates hoping you won't notice. And to think some bureaucratic smooth brain with the IQ of a turnip has the audacity to criticize my behavior and determine what's 'smart' kinda sets me off. I'm an adult, I don't need busybody big brother keeping track of me like I require some sort of nanny state protection from myself.

The more I consider it, GM really crossed the line here.

 

[obeykube]

Crossing the line I completely agree with, but I don't think it's nanny-ing. They let you do anything you want in the car, they just then disappointingly report what you are doing to the insurance company, it seems. It's just a ploy to get more money, or, the optimistic side of me, not sure everyone's previous cars but for me atleast, I was surprised the insurance rate I got initially for this car. I wonder if because of this system insurance comes in low knowing they will get this data and be able to adjust accordingly. Still F'ed up, but we may be benefiting more than we really know yet.

Now, if there was an upside, like if you get into a car accident and Cadillac will show your actions before the accident and help prove you weren't in the wrong, or use this same data to help you get your stolen car back, or help tell you there's something wrong with the car, that would be (maybe?) acceptable trade off. Or like I thought above maybe it helps get insurance rates down initially, which may be helping a lot of folks. But without any of these facts it seems like a shameless moneygrab to me. Not very far different from subscription services for features on your vehicle....cause that's comin. And very shady/breach of privacy for sure.

 

[1Evil55]

I don't think so -those are totally different systems. The fob hacking thing is real, but not widely used in the USA AFAIK. The truly paranoid can store their fob in a faraday cage. I just keep the car in the garage. When it's in the parking lot at work, I just count on my insurance to pay up if it disappears. Which I hope it doesn't, as it's a pain finding one of these things, still.

I remember reading a story about how some thieves would steal a Chevy (Corvette, or truck) from a test drive, and the first thing they do is rip out the on-star module. Then they can often drive it for months, years, before they get caught doing something else. So how hard could it be?

I really like the safety factor of having on-star notify EMS if I were to get into an accident. I do not like the fact that they track my every move, and that they want money for that potentially life-saving feature (which was included for free for the first 4 years on my BMWs). So when my trial period is up, I may well be tempted to yank that on-star antenna myself.

Go visit a Vette, Camaro, or SS page and see all the theft just along the west coast alone. The GM V8's are a specific target. Sounds like the Mopar people are having similar issue. Hell, every "takeover" video I see online is from one of the 4 cars I just mentioned. Some/Many in the video are probably stolen. The shame of those videos always ends with some kid getting smacked by the car doing doughnuts. Just once I want to see the driver go flying, maybe off a cliff.

 

[obeykube]

Go visit a Vette, Camaro, or SS page and see all the theft just along the west coast alone. The GM V8's are a specific target. Sounds like the Mopar people are having similar issue. Hell, every "takeover" video I see online is from one of the 4 cars I just mentioned. Some/Many in the video are probably stolen. The shame of those videos always ends with some kid getting smacked by the car doing doughnuts. Just once I want to see the driver go flying, maybe off a cliff.

It is very, very easy to steal most cars these days. My buddy is a locksmith and for $250 bucks and some basic industry knowledge he can get a car started in 10 minutes or so. If he "planned" it, probably even less. I have seen many old to new cars owners put special kill switches all over the place because it honestly is too easy. If I lived in an area that had average to high car theft rates, I would put one in day one. The factory systems just aren't enough if you want true security.