Still learning about my new Camry. I received mail about connected services. Some of it sounds useful (ie - SOS (like OnStar) for emergency services). Others sound less useful and actually unwanted (ie - location data, etc).

It seems like I can deactivate all of this en masse. But that includes SOS service (which is complimentary for 3 years). That being said, I've never had a need for SOS services in all my decades of driving.


I'm leaning toward just deactivating - don't want my location, driving info, personal information, etc transmitted. Only reason to keep is perhaps SOS.

Any thoughts? Overly paranoid and okay to keep all services active (including giving them access to all my info)? Or deactivate?

https://www.toyota.com/privacyvts/

I'm sure there is some useful stuff there but I don't like the idea of someone having access to what I do or even worse to be able to control my vehicle.

Yea - that's where I'm trending too. Too little benefit at the cost of privacy and control.

But it's my first car with all these invasions so looking for the collective opinion.

If you opt out/discontinue service, make sure you ask about total disconnect. With GM's Onstar, even if you don't pay for the services the programs still work, you just don't have access to them. There are ways to completely disable them though. Google fu!

As long as it is free, keep it.

WARNING: Jeremy Clarkson’s old Ford GT is up for sale

Watch the video - it's worth it!

I got rear ended hard (totaled it) in my 2018 Sienna, a month ago. The system activated automatically and next thing I know they were asking me if I was ok. I was and there was already a cop pulling up as he pulled out to chase the guy that hit me.

I'm glad it was active and working as they would have been Johnny on the spot if I had needed them.

I had a coworker who crashed his truck into a parked car driving drunk and fled the scene. His Ford used his Bluetooth connected phone to call 911 after the airbag deployment was detected. That system, which used his own cell phone to call, was part of his undoing.

So I say good stuff.

It broadcasts that info, so it can send it in the case of an accident.

Do you carry a cell phone (and especially a smart phone)? If yes, you're already being tracked.

quote:

Originally posted by BBMW:
Do you carry a cell phone (and especially a smart phone)? If yes, you're already being tracked.

By .gov, yes. But each one of these devices exposes me to employees of private companies. ATT for my phone. Now Toyota (and whoever they may or may not contract out to) for the car. And then they apparently keep records for 20 years? Or 4 years after service expiration? Or something longer than what is necessary.

.gov knows everything about me. But I'm trying to limit my exposure to joe citizen working at these companies (some dude in IT in India or Russia? China? Who has access to my data?)

I'm probably paranoid. But shit that happens starts somewhere.

I am somewhat interested in the SOS function since it's my wife's car. But at what cost?

quote:

Some of it sounds useful (ie - SOS (like OnStar) for emergency services). Others sound less useful and actually unwanted (ie - location data, etc).

If you don't enable location data, SOS isn't going to do you much good

Deactivate.

quote:

Originally posted by BBMW:
Do you carry a cell phone (and especially a smart phone)? If yes, you're already being tracked.

Well, I always have the option to just leave my phone at home.

quote:

Originally posted by konata88:

quote:

Originally posted by BBMW:
Do you carry a cell phone (and especially a smart phone)? If yes, you're already being tracked.

By .gov, yes. But each one of these devices exposes me to employees of private companies. ATT for my phone. Now Toyota (and whoever they may or may not contract out to) for the car. And then they apparently keep records for 20 years? Or 4 years after service expiration? Or something longer than what is necessary.

.gov knows everything about me. But I'm trying to limit my exposure to joe citizen working at these companies (some dude in IT in India or Russia? China? Who has access to my data?)

I'm probably paranoid. But shit that happens starts somewhere.

I am somewhat interested in the SOS function since it's my wife's car. But at what cost?

If you have a cellphone, even with location services turned off “they” already know your movements. Couple that with your email, and you are bought and paid for. If you’re going for the whole off the grid John Conner thing, yeah disable it. If not? Yeah, you are paranoid.

Sky net is already aware.

As far as the cellphone goes, before the info can go to .gov, it's already gone through multiple layers or corporations, who'll sell the data to anyone who'll pay.

As far as the car, there are private companies out there with Plat scanners recording every going by. And, of course, even if you don't pay for the service, do you know it still isn't phoning home.

My point is, if the service has value to you, use it. Don't worry about losing privacy. You don't have any to begin with.

quote:

Originally posted by konata88:

quote:

Originally posted by BBMW:
Do you carry a cell phone (and especially a smart phone)? If yes, you're already being tracked.

By .gov, yes. But each one of these devices exposes me to employees of private companies. ATT for my phone. Now Toyota (and whoever they may or may not contract out to) for the car. And then they apparently keep records for 20 years? Or 4 years after service expiration? Or something longer than what is necessary.

.gov knows everything about me. But I'm trying to limit my exposure to joe citizen working at these companies (some dude in IT in India or Russia? China? Who has access to my data?)

I'm probably paranoid. But shit that happens starts somewhere.

I am somewhat interested in the SOS function since it's my wife's car. But at what cost?

I work for .gov. I can’t get any data from your carrier without a court order and even then they don’t send anything near the data they collect for their internal use. The government doesn’t scare me anywhere near as much as private corporations when it comes to the amount of data they collect.

Unless you physically remove the hardware, you might as well assume it’s still broadcasting data back home. “Oh. You want to turn our data mining tool that we use as a revenue stream by selling it to other companies without your knowledge off? Of course. It’s off. Really...”

You may be able to disable the services, but I sincerely doubt you can disable GPS tracking in your car. Use the services. I had this debate several years ago. My motorcycle had an alert service if it went down. I used the service, having had a couple of pretty serious accidents in the past.

I let them track me when the service was free in the introductory period. Then, I never renewed. I don't need a monthly charge.

quote:

Originally posted by Balzé Halzé:
Deactivate.

quote:

Originally posted by BBMW:
Do you carry a cell phone (and especially a smart phone)? If yes, you're already being tracked.

Well, I always have the option to just leave my phone at home.

I carry a cell phone in my pocket virtually every where I go. It is not turned on unless I have to make a call. Only time I have needed it was to call for help when the engine in my car blew up. I was asked to leave it on until help got there because I could not give them an accurate description of where I was. (Country roads, no cross roads, about 15 miles from nearest "town".

While it may be possible for them to track my phone when it is not turned on, I doubt it can happen. Otherwise why would they tell me to leave it turned on?

In my view, there is a LOT of big brother activity going on, we just don't know it, yet.

The SOS function is in my wife's Forester, and I'm glad it's there. To me, it's an ok tradeoff in terms of loss of privacy. I also have EZ passes for paying tolls in my cars. I have the aforementioned cell phones. I'm online. You're either on the grid or you're off the grid -- and I'm not prepared to live as a survivalist. (Even Jack Reacher had to break down and get a credit card in order to function in society.)