If your car connects to the internet, what personal data could it be sharing – and even selling? A new report on Australia’s 15 most popular car brands reveals these privacy concerns.

New research reveals serious privacy flaws in the data practices of new internet connected cars in Australia. It’s yet another reason why we need urgent reform of privacy laws.

Modern cars are increasingly equipped with internet-enabled features. Your “connected car” might automatically detect an accident and call emergency services, or send a notification if a child is left in the back seat.

But connected cars are also sophisticated surveillance devices. The data they collect can create a highly revealing picture of each driver. If this data is misused, it can result in privacy and security threats.

A report published today analysed the privacy terms from 15 of the most popular new car brands that sell connected cars in Australia.

  • Matt@lemmy.ml
    21·
    1 day ago

    This is why when I get my driver’s license, I’ll buy a car from 2012 that has no Internet. Probably old Skoda Octavia.

    • GHiLA@sh.itjust.works
      2·
      3 hours ago

      9th Gen Civic

      1.8 or 2.4L, no turbo, tons of manual transmissions out there, cheap to fix, easy to find and source with tons of motors still in crates brand new.

      • Matt@lemmy.ml
        1·
        59 minutes ago

        Skodas, VWs, and other French and Spanish are more common than Hondas in country where I live.

        • GHiLA@sh.itjust.works
          1·
          26 minutes ago

          Ah, I figured they were as common here as anywhere else they were, but now that I remember it, Honda makes their American cars in Ohio, they aren’t imports. That stacks.

    • VitabytesDev@feddit.nl
      3·
      22 hours ago

      Unfortunately, many of the cars transmit the surveillance data through phone carrier data lines, using an embedded SIM card. So, sadly I don’t think this would help very much.