By Alexa Erickson, The Family Handyman
Technology gets smarter every day. At work, in our homes and even in our
cars, we are giving up some of our privacy by staying wirelessly
connected. In fact, have you ever thought about how your car data is
being used?
Car data is one of the many ways company's learn about us. Through
your connected phone and the computers built in to your car, data about
where you've been, what music you like, your favorite restaurant and so
much more are gathered.
Today's cars have as many as 100 elements that generate data, from the brakes to the windshield wipers.
"They can pack the power of 20 personal computers and can process up to 25 gigs of data every hour – some of it beamed back," reports CBS News.
While
some car data collection does good, like using the information to
improve driving performance and safety, a lot of personal information
that you don't want shared results in what many consider an invasion of
privacy.
So while your phone may seem harmless, that backup camera in your car
may seem like a godsend and those sensors are your answer to perfect
parking, unfortunately, all of these allow automakers to collect
valuable pieces of information about you.
While drivers own the
data stored in the "black boxes" that monitor vehicles in a crash, for
instance, police and insurers are required to get a driver's consent, or
a court order, to access it. Unfortunately, there are no laws regarding
data collection by automakers via car internet connections. And, while
most automakers provide owners the option to decline car data
collection, it's typically buried in the fine print.
"As automakers collect more data about drivers, they're more likely
to look for ways to profit. The built-in display screens and mapping
software would seem to be ideal spots for posting advertisements,
similar to what Google, Facebook, Amazon and many other internet
companies already do," reports the Chicago Tribune.
