We don’t know how far back this problem will affect the automakers in question, but I can tell you that OnStar services launched in 1996. So don’t be surprised if your car does in fact have an internet connection. Unless I guess you don’t own a car. In that case, congrats.
My car is nowhere near that smart, and I don’t pay any subscription fees so I doubt I’m rolling around Australia with a data connection that I don’t know about.
You very well might be. Your car might be “dumb” to the user, but still have a culular modem that transmits information to the manufacturer.
The manufacturer has already paid the subscription upfront, and can get very very low deals from the culular networks due to the low amount of data transmitted.
Unless your car is older than 2010, there’s almost a 100% chance your car has a data connection and is collecting data. I’m not sure what you think you’re the exception to the rule.
2012 Toyota. Toyota T-Connect didn’t become available until 2014.
It’s also a paid service! It requires a sim card and a plan, and would have relied on the factory entertainment unit which I have removed.
I think you are mistaking ‘black box’ type data logging with an always-on internet connection phoning home with the ability to turn features on and off which is a more recent and far more sinister phenomenon.
I’m not interested in any vehicle that requires an app or has its own connection to the internet.
We don’t know how far back this problem will affect the automakers in question, but I can tell you that OnStar services launched in 1996. So don’t be surprised if your car does in fact have an internet connection. Unless I guess you don’t own a car. In that case, congrats.
My car is nowhere near that smart, and I don’t pay any subscription fees so I doubt I’m rolling around Australia with a data connection that I don’t know about.
You very well might be. Your car might be “dumb” to the user, but still have a culular modem that transmits information to the manufacturer.
The manufacturer has already paid the subscription upfront, and can get very very low deals from the culular networks due to the low amount of data transmitted.
Unless your car is older than 2010, there’s almost a 100% chance your car has a data connection and is collecting data. I’m not sure what you think you’re the exception to the rule.
2012 Toyota. Toyota T-Connect didn’t become available until 2014.
It’s also a paid service! It requires a sim card and a plan, and would have relied on the factory entertainment unit which I have removed.
I think you are mistaking ‘black box’ type data logging with an always-on internet connection phoning home with the ability to turn features on and off which is a more recent and far more sinister phenomenon.