New cars are tracking everything you do. Can you stop it? | CHOICE
New cars are tracking everything you do. Can you stop it? | CHOICE
For months Toyota refused to refund this Queensland man his deposit for a car after he learned it would have tracking features.
he learned it would have tracking features.
"Features" is a strong word
It may be time to open a bike dealership opposite every car lot. Offer a dumb phone as a value add-on. Accept cash only. At some point, the bikes will sell themselves.
I do think there is a market for vehicles without obese levels of technology, I purchased my Jimny specifically because the technology in it is very simple, but it does have basic driver assistance features.
Collision Prevention and lane keeping is provided by a sealed camera/RADAR module that provides basic data signals that you are going to hit something or the lines in the road aren’t the same on both sides. It is spartan, but effective.
The GPS receiver is also encapsulated in the radio head unit. There is no data connection between the Radio and the rest of the vehicle electronics. It has a USB port of CarPlay/Android Auto, analogue camera input for the rear vision and basic analogue signals for Reverse, Lights, etc.
Due to the lack of advanced electronic driver assistance features (and the fact that it is shaped like a brick and is designed as a Kei Car) ENCAP only gave it a 3 star rating. Due to its 3 star rating, some Insurance companies are inflating their premiums and in some cases, refusing insurance.
The Pinephone is functional as a 4G dumb phone with the added benefit of open source software/firmware transparency. Most but not 100% of the firmware. The software is developed enough for dumb phone usage only.
Offer a dumb phone as a value add-on.
Can we bring back the Sony Ericsson W800i with 4G antennas? I always wanted one of those!