In-car Big Brother is coming... (pretty soon!)

[moribund]

Sorry if a repost, could not find in search.

GM in the states are fitting in-car telemetry which you have to opt OUT of - so by default it's telling them everything you do in your car, speed, location, etc...

http://www.theregister.co.uk/2011/09/21/onstar_eca...

Ouch. Not happy about this coming to Europe too, wait until it's widespread enough for Gov to think about getting a live feed...

[jvl]

There are already some UK insurance companies who will reduce your policy if you get one of these fitted (and then drive like an old lady I assume).

[soad]

Just disable/break it - job jobbed

[Cotty]

soad said:

Just disable/break it - job jobbed

Or opt out and ask them to remove it before you take delivery.

Or pop the battery and sterio and pass a high powered magnet over the car.

[marcosgt]

That's all we need! A car full of mental patients and a northern voiced satnav...

M.

[Amused2death]

Part of the article reads...."Earlier this month the European Commission formally adopted eCall, which requires all new cars sold within the EU to be fitted with automatic tracking, and an embedded cellular phone, by 2015. eCall will call up the emergency services in the event of a crash, but it will also put a mobile phone into every car in Europe, which opens up a host of options."

So looks like we don't have a choice then?

[tangerine_sedge]

Amused2death said:

So looks like we don't have a choice then?

Theres always a choice - the first one being run an old car without it (which I fully intend to do), and the second is to find the location of the SIM card and pull it out...

I'm sure there will be a roaring ebay trade in little boxes which block this feature

[Digga]

Cotty said:

soad said:

Just disable/break it - job jobbed

Or opt out and ask them to remove it before you take delivery.

Or pop the battery and sterio and pass a high powered magnet over the car.

Or take it to your local friendly welder - a quick blast from a 600A mig set to the box will sort it.