Holy Smoke! Buying a New Car?

[Naperville]

I admit that I am somewhat at fault here.

We bought a new 2025 Toyota Camry and while we were getting ready to drive the car away the sales person asked for a cellphone to tether to the dashboard. On the last Camry we owned both cellphones were tethered to the dashboard so I thought, NO BIG DEAL. I offered up my phone.

The salesperson moved rapidly and added my phone....agreeing to umpteen different screens, adding services and we were soon on our way. I did not know what had just transpired.

She signed me up for service notifications and two other services that collect data such as hard braking, rapid acceleration, hard turns(high G's). WHAT THE HECK!

I'm 64, this is an economy car, and I don't drive like a wild man, but I've heard of these services and then the insurance co jacks your rates 100% or more.

DO NOT PAIR YOUR CELLPHONE WITH THESE TRACKING SERVICES. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

I unenrolled myself as soon as I could, but I could not immediately undo all the damage she had done. It may take weeks.

[ChrisinHove]

Timely advice!

I’ve just picked up a new Kia PHEV which keeps asking me to connect and download their app. I’ll tread carefully.

[Doc Dan]

Insurance companies control everything and are always looking for ways to gouge people. It isn't about safety. It is about money and control.

[riclaw]

I've heard commercials for an app that gives you money back when you use it to get gas. I wondered how they were making their money. Marketing, yes. But they also use your smartphone to monitor your driving, then sell that data to insurance providers.

[Naperville]

Thank you for reading and responding!

The silly sales person did not even take the time to tell me what they were doing and as an ex-system administrator I cannot believe that I gave her my phone!!!! Totally stupid move on my part. I will not chew out the sales person, nor send them a nasty-gram, but there is no way that I want any part of those programs.

I had to go to AT&T and cancel a cellular package that the car had. YES, she signed me up for a $20+/month cellular package too(That is my knife money right there). The car has it's own cellphone number apparently.

I'll have to keep my eyes peeled for any more notices regarding this. On my cellphone I deleted the Toyota app that I downloaded and she configured after I deleted as many services as possible but I may have to reinstall it to make sure that everything is OFF. After I opened the app and went to "SERVICES" to see what the app did I could not believe my eyes.

Let your guard down for one second! BOOM!!!!

[Naperville]

I've heard commercials for an app that gives you money back when you use it to get gas. I wondered how they were making their money. Marketing, yes. But they also use your smartphone to monitor your driving, then sell that data to insurance providers.

Stupid me. Seriously. I do not know why I default to trusting people until they burn me....it is a bad habit.

I had been reading stories about people getting dropped from their auto insurance over things like this but did not think a dealership was going to set us up to collect our driving data and sell it. IT SAYS IT RIGHT THERE IN THE FINE PRINT!

The cellphone app literally said it records hard braking, rapid acceleration and hard turning, and they they sell the data.

We live in a litigious county. I drive like I do not want to be sued into oblivion and lose everything we own. You have to be careful out there. But what is hard braking, rapid acceleration and hard turning? It could be different for everyone and they are looking at raw data/text, not videos of your daily driving. I usually drive the limit, and never horse around.

[Buddafucco]

New cars accumulate data information available from hundreds (if not thousands) of sensors, inputs, etc. The more technologically advanced the car is, the more it knows, hears and sees. They send that data back to the manufacturer whether you are signed up for something or not. It's been like this for almost a decade, and some cars have been doing it for longer. If you don't want to be monitored, your only option is to drive an older car. It's a lot like owning a smart phone. You either own one and somebody gets your info, or you don't.

[benben]

Insurance companies control everything and are always looking for ways to gouge people. It isn't about safety. It is about money and control.

They have all the money! I work at a large Toyota dealership collision center, insurance is legalized crime! Had a collision rep tell me once, the ones that advertise the most, suck the most!

I hate them all, yeah there’s some better than others but as far as giving a recommendation to friends, or family as to which insurance company to go with or change to, I won’t, they all suck!

Most people have a story when it comes to insurance companies, and some people have never had an issue with their current company, and that’s good.

For me, in our region Allstate is hands down the worst, but I hate Geico the most! I can’t put into words how much I despise those criminals! I’d be perfectly fine without ever taking another claim from Allstate, Geico, National General, or Progressive in our shop again, wouldn’t miss the money one bit! Not having to deal with these idiots far outweighs the very small amount of money we get paid by them!

Sorry, very sore subject for me! And I just deal with automotive insurance side, I’m sure the same goes with anyone dealing with health and home insurance also…..it’s a scam!

[Naperville]

I think that I see an opportunity for the right group of people with a background in electronics and automotive tech.

Little Faraday cages for snitching automotive antennas!!!

[sok]

My uncle just bought a new car. He talked about how nice the dealer was getting his phone synced to his new car. He even bought a new phone because they said his old one wasn’t compatible. He had to go back a couple of times to get it all working.

I wonder what the incentives are for the dealers. They normally aren’t known for going the extra mile.

[Naperville]

My uncle just bought a new car. He talked about how nice the dealer was getting his phone synced to his new car. He even bought a new phone because they said his old one wasn’t compatible. He had to go back a couple of times to get it all working.

I wonder what the incentives are for the dealers. They normally aren’t known for going the extra mile.

I have no idea what the incentives are for dealers. For the owner of the new vehicle this is bad news. Go slow, or whatever, just be safe out there and don't be a fool. Don't harm anyone.

All of these regulations and spying. I am against all of it. We have too much govt as it is.

[akapennypincher]

Technology is wonderful, until it becomes your baby sitter.

[grasshopper]

I admit that I am somewhat at fault here.

We bought a new 2025 Toyota Camry and while we were getting ready to drive the car away the sales person asked for a cellphone to tether to the dashboard. On the last Camry we owned both cellphones were tethered to the dashboard so I thought, NO BIG DEAL. I offered up my phone.

The salesperson moved rapidly and added my phone....agreeing to umpteen different screens, adding services and we were soon on our way. I did not know what had just transpired.

She signed me up for service notifications and two other services that collect data such as hard braking, rapid acceleration, hard turns(high G's). WHAT THE HECK!

I'm 64, this is an economy car, and I don't drive like a wild man, but I've heard of these services and then the insurance co jacks your rates 100% or more.

DO NOT PAIR YOUR CELLPHONE WITH THESE TRACKING SERVICES. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

I unenrolled myself as soon as I could, but I could not immediately undo all the damage she had done. It may take weeks.

I wanted to thank you for posting this information. My best buddy just ordered a ‘25
Subuaru. He is an Iraq war veteran and is pretty cautious about all this new tech. He
Does want any body tracking him and values his privacy. I forwarded him this thread
And he called me in disbelief. He said that the dealer was trying to sell him all these
Goodies.

I take care of all my vehicles and the newest is a 10 year old Tundra. Hooks up to
My phone via Bluetooth and I am OK with this?

Wife’s 09 BMW has Bluetooth and BMW’s version of OnStar. We did not renew it after 2 years.
Im sure it probably still works, I could probably renew service by just pushing the button.
Not sure if it’s is/or can monitor driving behaviors. I think it uses GPS? Probably should dig
Out the owners manual

Im disconnected in my 93 TransAm (go fast!) and my 25 year old BMW motorcycle.

[SpyderEdgeForever]

What is a good mini van with back seat that can fold down for sleeping?

[Pokey]

I bought a new Subaru Crosstrek in ‘22. It has the 6-speed manual transmission. There’s no EyeSight system nor remote starting using an app. Neither system can control a manual transmission. No navigation system either.

Subaru repeatedly pushed me to sign up to use the app, (why, it won’t work with the 6MT,) and to sign up to make the car a 4G hotspot. Sorry Subaru, it’s just a car, not a home theater system.

Here’s an interesting article about car company’s collecting data on you, including your sex life. Just remember, you’re not a customer, you’re a product.

https://foundation.mozilla.org/en/priva ... r-privacy/

[Naperville]

I admit that I am somewhat at fault here.

We bought a new 2025 Toyota Camry and while we were getting ready to drive the car away the sales person asked for a cellphone to tether to the dashboard. On the last Camry we owned both cellphones were tethered to the dashboard so I thought, NO BIG DEAL. I offered up my phone.

The salesperson moved rapidly and added my phone....agreeing to umpteen different screens, adding services and we were soon on our way. I did not know what had just transpired.

She signed me up for service notifications and two other services that collect data such as hard braking, rapid acceleration, hard turns(high G's). WHAT THE HECK!

I'm 64, this is an economy car, and I don't drive like a wild man, but I've heard of these services and then the insurance co jacks your rates 100% or more.

DO NOT PAIR YOUR CELLPHONE WITH THESE TRACKING SERVICES. YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED.

I unenrolled myself as soon as I could, but I could not immediately undo all the damage she had done. It may take weeks.

I wanted to thank you for posting this information. My best buddy just ordered a ‘25
Subuaru. He is an Iraq war veteran and is pretty cautious about all this new tech. He
Does want any body tracking him and values his privacy. I forwarded him this thread
And he called me in disbelief. He said that the dealer was trying to sell him all these
Goodies.

I take care of all my vehicles and the newest is a 10 year old Tundra. Hooks up to
My phone via Bluetooth and I am OK with this?

Wife’s 09 BMW has Bluetooth and BMW’s version of OnStar. We did not renew it after 2 years.
Im sure it probably still works, I could probably renew service by just pushing the button.
Not sure if it’s is/or can monitor driving behaviors. I think it uses GPS? Probably should dig
Out the owners manual

Im disconnected in my 93 TransAm (go fast!) and my 25 year old BMW motorcycle.

You are welcome.

I hear that GM's OnStar tracks everything. What is reported to data brokers I do not know. Google it, keep digging on BMW's system and see if anything has been written!

What having a Bluetooth connection between your cellphone and car does I do not know? I do not know what they are collecting.

I want everyone to know that I am not a Luddite, I love technology and have a degree in Information Systems from a Big 12 University here in the US. Yet a few months ago I started seeing articles regarding the collection of driving data and sale of that data to brokers, who then sold the data to insurance companies who then jacked the insurance rates or dropped people from ther policies. Life is in general wonderful. Lets not make it oppressive.

Sure, go after the reckless drivers, the bad drivers, the ones causing all of our policies to go up(that is the police officers job), but then I thought a little deeper and NO WAY, I do not want it collected on me or anyone. I do not want to live in China the USSR or N.Korea. Don't fall asleep and give away your Bill of Rights, specifically the Fourth Amendment the right to no searches and seizures...and do not give up those rights to a corporation that will act on the behalf of a government.

Corporations may not act in your interests at all times.

That is like saying, there are 325 million people in the USA, and one bad guy with a firearm / knife, so lets ban all the firearms / knives. No, I'd never agree with that, or to have 325 million people's driving monitored to catch one bad driver.

I'm still backing out the connectivity attributes. I never turn on Bluetooth while in the car.

[SpyderEdgeForever]

What about that company Car Shield that advertises? Is this a scam?

[Naperville]

What about that company Car Shield that advertises? Is this a scam?

I have no idea you would have to check with the BBB or Google.

[Paul Ardbeg]

One of the benefits of living in Europe, this crap will not fly. If they pull the data of my performance model 3 i'm screwed

[Naperville]

One of the benefits of living in Europe, this crap will not fly. If they pull the data of my performance model 3 i'm screwed

I think the EU is more protective of data than any other group in the world.