Amount of information stored on your key
Discussion
So, I took my 2016 Mini into the dealer today for a minor warranty issue. The first thing he did was took the key, and stuck it into a docking station. His monitor then showed a picture of the car - correct spec with the right colour wheels and wing mirrors (taken from the chassis number I guess). It also gave him a ton of information - the time since last service, time to next service, brake pads and what looked like oil levels - in red, amber and green to indicate status. It even showed when the car was built, and put into hibernation for shipping as well as the PDI and delivery date. All this information was stored in the key.
I guess in this day and age I shouldn't be surprised that all this is available, but I was surprised it was on the key. I assumed the key was one-way data. It also made me think. He said that when the car starts indicating the service is due, the green icons go yellow, then red after a couple of months. At that point, he cautioned that warranty items would not be honoured as it would be outside the service schedule, which makes sense, but there is no 'just went over the mileage yesterday mate' anymore. It's all recorded electronically. It also reminded me about the thread recently with the guy who modified his Audi and the dealer wobbled on the warranty when the gearbox failed. There's no hiding any modifications anymore - unless you are competent with electronics and programming.
I guess in this day and age I shouldn't be surprised that all this is available, but I was surprised it was on the key. I assumed the key was one-way data. It also made me think. He said that when the car starts indicating the service is due, the green icons go yellow, then red after a couple of months. At that point, he cautioned that warranty items would not be honoured as it would be outside the service schedule, which makes sense, but there is no 'just went over the mileage yesterday mate' anymore. It's all recorded electronically. It also reminded me about the thread recently with the guy who modified his Audi and the dealer wobbled on the warranty when the gearbox failed. There's no hiding any modifications anymore - unless you are competent with electronics and programming.
with the recent EU directive stating that all cars from 2018, should have the ability to dial the emergency services, and my Land Rover Disco Sport already having that built in, its already here I think.
Its quite amazing what you can do with the App on your phone, logging every journey etc - great for your expense reports etc.
Its quite amazing what you can do with the App on your phone, logging every journey etc - great for your expense reports etc.
Truckosaurus said:
It won't be long (probably already happens for some models) before the car automatically updates the dealer over a wireless data connection of its service status, so you'll get a call from the service advisor before the 'service due' light comes on.
As above, cars need to be able to call emergency services soon, this means every car has a sim card in it. I'd be quite surprised if manufacturers aren't already recording data in cars and sending it back to a collection centre. Not to spy, but simply to get data on how the vehicles are operated, in what conditions etc. Think of it as a (very) primitive data recorder like planes use.I have wondered about data protection and also if they have to ask permission to have, store, get etc the data.
I could understand it being in the small print for a new vehicle buyer.
However as soon as the 2nd owner on etc gets it?
Could a large manufacturer end up getting sued for data they don't have permission to hold?
I could understand it being in the small print for a new vehicle buyer.
However as soon as the 2nd owner on etc gets it?
Could a large manufacturer end up getting sued for data they don't have permission to hold?
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