Ford Motors Exec: "we know what you're doing and when you're doing it".

Nissan went so far as to void your GT-R warranty if you 'launched' the car, and "if you tried to deny your Nissan dealer access to your vehicle's data-recording black box, your warranty would still be voided." Between the black box and GPS/communications system (On-Star) - manufactures know everything about your driving habits and locations.

Also, if you have a smartphone in your pockets - well the NSA can switch that puppy on and figure out your speed and location too.

Others have stated it - but I'll underscore it. If you don't want to be tracked GPS style, buy an older car.

Truth is, technology has mostly benefited law enforcement and insurance firms - and sending folks to prison is a big, profitable business.

Source: jalopnik.com...

Jason88
Others have stated it - but I'll underscore it. If you don't want to be tracked GPS style, buy an older car.

Buy an older vehicle!

Break the backs of the investors and put Americans back to work repairing them. They get just as good MPG too!

Plus you have a car with personality.

Diesel trucks by Ford '1999-2002 (7.3 motor) and Dodge (any cummins until 2003) are the BEST they ever built and still command a VERY high premium on the used market. They LAST FOREVER!

GM cars from the 80's-90's are bulletproof. Oldsmobile delta 98(model), Cadillac Devilles before the Northstar POS motor, Lincoln Town Cars 1989-1997, Lincoln Mark 8's (have an all aluminum motor like the mustang Cobra), etc. I can go on and on.

BREAK THE BACKS of the Auto Industry and the FOREIGN INVESTORS!

How is the data getting out of the car and back to them? Is it hijacking my data connection on my phone when I hook it up?

FWIW

A Ford spokesperson later told Business Insider that in general, GPS units in Ford cars are not routinely pinging out their whereabouts as customers drive around. Rather, Ford cars have several on-board services such as "Sync Services Directions" (a navigation device that works with drivers' phones) and 911 Assist, which users have to switch on and opt into. And employers can use a service called "Crew Chief" to monitor their corporate car fleet. Data coming from those services is generally used only to improve services, a spokesperson says.

Read more: www.businessinsider.com...

I wish ford would use some "new late breaking super technology" when it comes to their football team..

Then and only then just maybe they will still be playing in January!

when I start to receive speeding tickets at random.. then i will be worried about it.
I drive a ford with GPS tech. and I fly low on the hiway..cross many states..
So,. if ford decides to give me away.. I will personaly launch a very damaging campaign
against ford for doing so.. not at all beneficial to fords sales.

with that being said,.
most new cell phones can do the same thing.. LOL
and who here doesnt have a cell phone and drive

Ahhhhh...I love how the government uses their minions to inform the public on how they're being watched. First we had tapped calls, satellite imagery, cell phones, the internet, and now cars (even though its been around for some time now). That exec knew exactly what he was doing with what he said, that was no accident. Wouldn't it be awesome if everyone in government just melted like in Indiana Jones?

If you own a cell phone, you can be tracked anywhere you go with it. You use it and your location is recorded. If its on, your movements are no secret. Also with the GPS feature, a cellphone owner can be tracked to a specific room in a house. To the state, everyone is a potential criminal. During any crime investigation cell phone information is easily obtained.

When it is in a vehicle and the vehicle is stolen, it can be tracked. That's one good use of GPS in vehicles.

reply to post by gladtobehere


Most of the new Fords come with the Microsoft Sync system, it has GPS, Sirius etc,I am one that always says, if I didn't build it I can't possibly know what is really in it or what it could do, I also apply this logic to food, canned foods, fast food etc...
I see the skeptics here that don't believe but I do have a new Ford mustang , well not so new now, since the 2014 model has been unveiled and it has all of those bells and whistles that I have no doubt that what he is saying is more truth than fiction, if they have been putting the black data boxes in vehicles for years, what better marriage of information gathering than to have some stealth firmware or software that can not only receive, but quietly transmit without you knowing this, while you are just content to be bopping your head to your favorite tune, there is a feature that allows me to send the health report from the vehicle to some cloud and then look at the report online, now to the skeptics go figure, if that is possible then sure, they can find out what you are doing , collect and probably warehouse the data... hmmmmmm

Wow, what a foot in mouth admission moment there. Sure he doesn't share that info with anyone. Except the NSA. What a joke.

GPS is a one-way technology. It doesn't transmit back to the satellite. Do you have any idea how expensive 2way satellite transmitters are?

GPS works by satellites painting a grid on the earth and your GPS unit "hearing" how strong each grid signal is to determine what point on the grid it is currently located.

Now with that said.... most of these new in-car infotainment systems have the ability to connect to GSM/CDMA (cellphone) services for a 2-way connection.

Even if you never enable the service you can bet it will be enabled if you are running from a crime or even if Ford/any manufacturer wants to do a live study on your particular model of car.

Oh and it made the news like 5 years ago that GPS providers were selling their data to police forces to help them with speed-trap placements!!

Look at it this way. When they go out of their way to broadcast something like this, it's not a slip. They're doing it for a reason.

korath
If they don't supply the data to anyone, then what's the point of them knowing it?

Based on GPS feedback they can analyze how far people are driving on average, at what speed, how much fuel they are using, etc. - and potentially ( likely or not is another question ) remodel their market appropriately.

Just a thought from an engineer and former car salesman.

8675309jenny
Oh and it made the news like 5 years ago that GPS providers were selling their data to police forces to help them with speed-trap placements!!

edit on 14-1-2014 by 8675309jenny because: (no reason given)

Meanwhile, DigitalJedi snips some wires on his OnStar antenna

Not really, but it really is tempting...

reply to post by HanzHenry

been in some cars since 1997. You are really FAR BEHIND in this aspect. And completely wrong in your assumption. The FBI and state police can determine fault after the car is at the junkyard or body shop.

I'm not making an assumption, I have an informed opinion. You have a different opinion, which you are certainly entitled to. I don't care for the way you twist my words but that is a matter of style. GPS units are receivers, not transceivers. No amount of opinion will not change that fact. Cell modems, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi have transmitters, not GPS. If you don't have your onstar or equivalent service turned on, law enforcement (excluding the NSA) would have to get a court order to tap it. Ford is unlikely to stroke service fees for a cell account just to scan for your speeding habits. I see no profit motive there.

Event recorders are standard in all newer vehicles but they can't and don't keep your data. The memory fills up after some finite amount of time and then old data gets abandoned as newer data comes in. That is not a very strong NWO boogey-man you've got there.

I personally consider accident reconstruction a benefit because it's far more likely that someone else will be at fault. It is not commercial exploitation, which I define as unauthorized data mining for corporate marketing or spying, for example Google searching your email to put up ads in your browser. Until I see some evidence to change my opinion, I'm maintaining it.

All you need is a cellphone jammer dx.com... it will block cellular and gps. I ordered one a few years back before they became hard to get. it will jam your cellphone and GPS devices 50ft-100ft around you. You can always disconnect the GPS antenna from the computers ECU, but if you have OEM navigation , you might be out of luck since they can share the same antenna.

They most DEFINITELY provide that information. Information and information technology is the highest commodity, and there is big bucks to be made for any Company that can provide it. Facebook comes to mind, as well as the Google Brands, Apple, Microsoft, Obama Care website hosting companies, major cloud hosting companies, and smart devices. On and on.

It's one of the many ways the Government indirectly spies on you, by securing private contracts with companies like these.

Just guessing that the data is just stored on board accessible at dealer service centers.

One more item that needs to be on our updated privacy contracts and should be considered personal private data without a warrant for government access. It is time for all of our personal data to become part of our private papers and therefor not contactable by corporations to use their products.

I question the purpose of a dealer knowing gps data other than speed which can be obtained from other sources.

It is going to be a good side business to alter or remove such data for those with the skill. Just like adding somebody's DNA to a crime scene you could add false GPS info or remove it.

Personally I'm looking forward to automated cars, so I can take a nap just like on the bus and being stopped by police should not ever happen.

reply to post by InverseLookingGlass


here's the part you didn't get. don't need a "transmitter". combustion engines make GREAT transmitter. Hook the engine up to the "engine management computer" and presto, you have a transmitter and a modem. Motor vehicles can be tracked, located and IDENTIFIED just by the unique signature produced by the engine/computer systems installed in todays modern cars. the concept is called ESM. Electronic Support Measures. On star trek, they call them "sensors" (ONLY mr spock can say "sensors" like it should be said "Captain, SEN-sores indicate") anyway, who needs GPS? what do you think they're doing when they say they're prepping your car for delivery at the dealership? yes, thats right. Uploading the signature to the global tracking network! think i'm crazy! why is it we can still hear voyager 1 and 2? they have transmitters that are about as strong as a flashlight beam being seen in new york when the flashlight is n L.A.! yes. sneaky little spooks, I know. I are one !

DenyObfuscation
FWIW

A Ford spokesperson later told Business Insider that in general, GPS units in Ford cars are not routinely pinging out their whereabouts as customers drive around. Rather, Ford cars have several on-board services such as "Sync Services Directions" (a navigation device that works with drivers' phones) and 911 Assist, which users have to switch on and opt into. And employers can use a service called "Crew Chief" to monitor their corporate car fleet. Data coming from those services is generally used only to improve services, a spokesperson says.

Read more: www.businessinsider.com...

911 Assist and Sync Services only work if you've got a bluetooth phone that's paired with the car, they use your phone to dial out. If you've ever had a car with Sync in it (rented one once) you might also notice that Sync will co-opt your data connection and start downloading information from the net if you've got a connection. Maybe uploading stuff too, who can say? You pair to it, and it's going to do whatever bluetooth is allowed to do on your phone.

Crew Chief requires installation of a GSM phone module under the dash.

In any case, GPS tells YOU the location you're at, but it never transmits. In examples where something is "GPS tracked" it's almost always a GSM phone module using GPRS. The satellites never receive anything from the users.