GM OnStar cars will upload all data unless owners opt out

The Register ^ | 21 September 2011 | Bill Ray

[ShadowAce]

Cars fitted with OnStar's technology will be tracked even if the owners don't sign up to the service, in a change to the company's policy that will kick in come December.

OnStar is a service offered by General Motors USA, which inserts a mobile phone, along with telemetry tracking kit, into cars sold by the company. Owners are then offered the option to sign up to the navigation and automatic crash reporting, but in a policy change the company will start collecting data from drivers even if they haven't signed up for the service.

In the notice being sent out to subscribers, and picked up by Wired, OnStar explains that from December this year it will start collecting information about everything from oil levels to mileage, and details of any accident in which the vehicle is involved – including direction of impact, seatbelt use and the location/speed of the vehicle at the time of the accident.

That is the critical part, to the insurance companies at least. Several US insurance claims have already been invalidated by cars which grassed on their owners, who proved to be travelling faster than they had admitted, and OnStar will hand over the data to the police when required to, and anyone else they deem necessary for "the safety of you or others".

Until now, that data was only available where owners had been signed up to the service, which includes satellite navigation, but come December anyone whose car is fitted with the technology, and hasn't explicitly opted out (by phoning OnStar), will be subject to monitoring by the company.

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.

Cars are already getting over-the-air software modifications. Red Bend, specialists in remote software updating, send out software patches to various models over the GSM network; the company is looking forward to being able to reach out to every car to ensure they're running the latest and greatest OS and applications.

In its statement (PDF, 10 pages but quite readable), OnStar explains it will also be collecting anonymous data for traffic and usage analysis, which is probably more valuable to General Motors than details about individuals. The same thing will no doubt apply to eCall-equipped cars when they come on sale.

Few people will bother opting out of such a service, which means that those who do will simply attract attention to themselves. All this is for your own safety and convenience, of course, but if you want to travel anonymously after 2015 then best get yourself an (eCall-exempted) motorcycle and read the small print carefully. ®

[ShadowAce]

[arthurus]

Could we expect anything different from Government Motors?

[Hat-Trick]

Anyone know if Ford is doing the same thing with their SYNC system?

[WOBBLY BOB]

Ray LaHood wants to know how much to tax you for GM pensions (for future reference)

[MichaelP]

Guess I’ll unplug some wires...

[commish]

JAm, disable or rip it out by it’s tenticles.

[USFRIENDINVICTORIA]

I guess Big Brother figures this is the next best thing to cramming everyone onto public transit. They’ll still know where you are, where you’ve been, and where you’re going.

[Cheapskate]

I have a feeling that it will be connected to the brainbox.
If you disable, you probably will kill your car.

[American Quilter]

The microchip embedded in you by the hospital right after you’re born is not many years away...

[American Quilter]

The microchip embedded in you by the hospital right after you’re born is not many years away...

[Made In The USA]

Thanks GM, I keep looking at the new Camaro.. but it’s this kind of crap that makes an F-150 look so much better.

[American Quilter]

Oops, sorry for the double post.

[advertising guy]

the dealer knows how to disable, especially near the body shop

[jwalsh07]

And now a word from all those supporters of Perry who cited the "opt out" provision in his executive order. :-}

Perhaps though, there are "opt outs" and then there are OPT OUT"S?

[advertising guy]

you can order one just like ya want w/o ever havin OnStar installed

[reefdiver]

This is bs. It’s like yr Apple phn tracking you. Didn’t work for them an they pulled it. We are not Europeans. If GM continues with this, expect to see their lots full of cars and pickups. Americans even the leftest will not be tracked like a pet

[WOBBLY BOB]

Pretty soon we’ll be automatically signed up for everything by the GubMint and will have to “opt out” of everything.

And whoever the GOP prez candidate is will say it was all a simple mistake. (sorry you lost your freedoms, better luck next time. I promise it won’t happend again...)

[jwalsh07]

:-}

[NavyCanDo]

I can how this can be used against you the driver nine ways to Sunday.

Way number 1... You get in an accident that any officer arriving at the scene can quickly determine is not your fault. The Insurer of the person who hit you obtains the OnStar data on your driving habits and everything you did leading up to the accident including your speed, and overturns the officers ruling in court and now you share the fault.