Why do they still make car alarms? (2015) • Hacker News Board

Re: Why do they still make car alarms? (2015)

#51

Post by bdowling » Tue, Jan 19, 2021, 10:03 PM UTC

nexuist wrote: post #18

josefresco wrote: post #2

I'd rather see a tracking system attached to several parts of the vehicle. This would allow law enforcement to track the vehicle, and/or the parts if the vehicle is broken down and sold. In the United States we have "LoJack" but it's not a standard feature rather a dealer upsell.

Tesla probably has the best solution to this so far; they have cameras around the car that record movement and send it to the cloud. A tracking system would work only until thieves figure out how to disable it; at which point it just becomes another part to sell. The Tesla solution is nice because it live streams the carjacking to the owner, enabling them to pick out details about the thief that could be useful to ar…

There is at least one Youtube channel, Wham Bam Teslacam [0], dedicated to publishing Tesla camera recordings of thieves, vandals, and other incidents.

[0] https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCbMoDtZ6Ani-eyHzCvxeVCw

Re: Why do they still make car alarms? (2015)

#52

Post by microtherion » Tue, Jan 19, 2021, 10:07 PM UTC

Triv888 wrote: post #40

psmithsfhn wrote: post #20

better, why do they still make car horns?

One problem with car horn is the cars that beep it every time you lock your doors...

Yes, I hate that feature, especially when a rental car has it and I can't figure out easily how to disable it.

Re: Why do they still make car alarms? (2015)

#53

Post by kubanczyk » Tue, Jan 19, 2021, 10:07 PM UTC

mcculley wrote: post #48

psmithsfhn wrote: post #20

better, why do they still make car horns?

There are occasional valid uses for horns. I would like a mandatory feature that limits honks per mile to a reasonable maximum.

For some countries, it could alternatively implement a reasonable minimum limit.

Re: Why do they still make car alarms? (2015)

#54

Post by overscore » Tue, Jan 19, 2021, 10:09 PM UTC

nexuist wrote: post #18

josefresco wrote: post #2

I'd rather see a tracking system attached to several parts of the vehicle. This would allow law enforcement to track the vehicle, and/or the parts if the vehicle is broken down and sold. In the United States we have "LoJack" but it's not a standard feature rather a dealer upsell.

Tesla probably has the best solution to this so far; they have cameras around the car that record movement and send it to the cloud. A tracking system would work only until thieves figure out how to disable it; at which point it just becomes another part to sell. The Tesla solution is nice because it live streams the carjacking to the owner, enabling them to pick out details about the thief that could be useful to ar…

This implies that Tesla can view the vicinity and location of your car at any time. Is that true? That would completely destroy any desire to own one.

Re: Why do they still make car alarms? (2015)

#55

Post by dangerboysteve » Tue, Jan 19, 2021, 10:10 PM UTC

In large cities people ignore car alarms and are more and likely going to attract a brick through the window from pissed of neighbors. The biggest issue is people with car alarms have the sensitivity so low anything triggers them. I used to live in a condo, owned a Fatboy and when I fired up the bike and rode up the underground parkade 6-10 cars alarms would go off.

Re: Why do they still make car alarms? (2015)

#56

Post by reaperducer » Tue, Jan 19, 2021, 10:10 PM UTC

josefresco wrote: post #2

I'd rather see a tracking system attached to several parts of the vehicle. This would allow law enforcement to track the vehicle, and/or the parts if the vehicle is broken down and sold. In the United States we have "LoJack" but it's not a standard feature rather a dealer upsell.

I'd rather see a tracking system attached to several parts of the vehicle.

I'd rather not give law enforcement or anyone else the ability to "track" me on a whim. If it's stolen, I'll take the hit on my deductible and also keep my privacy.

If it becomes ubiquitous, is only a matter of time before it becomes mandatory. Or, the car maker sells your data and pretends that doing so helps offset the cost of making the car, the way the TV makers do.

That said, my wife's car came with a tracker. It was free when we bought the car. Around the fourth year, we got a letter in the mail stating that it would suddenly cost $40/month, and if we didn't pay, we could no longer be tracked. Sounded good to me!

Re: Why do they still make car alarms? (2015)

#57

Post by fletchowns » Tue, Jan 19, 2021, 10:10 PM UTC

lotsofpulp wrote: post #45

mumblemumble wrote: post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In the USA, as long as you're not recording audio and it's not in a place where people have a reasonable expectation of privacy, clandestine video surveillance is A-OK.

I don’t know why cars don’t come with built in dash cams yet. Seems like there is huge demand for it.

I think it's only a matter of time before all new cars come with front and rear facing cameras. I think the next step after that would be some sort of reporting system. Seems kinda crazy I can click a button to report somebody cheating in a video game but I can't press a button in my car to report soembody for extremely unsafe driving.

Re: Why do they still make car alarms? (2015)

#58

Post by pound » Tue, Jan 19, 2021, 10:10 PM UTC

nexuist wrote: post #18

josefresco wrote: post #2

I'd rather see a tracking system attached to several parts of the vehicle. This would allow law enforcement to track the vehicle, and/or the parts if the vehicle is broken down and sold. In the United States we have "LoJack" but it's not a standard feature rather a dealer upsell.

Tesla probably has the best solution to this so far; they have cameras around the car that record movement and send it to the cloud. A tracking system would work only until thieves figure out how to disable it; at which point it just becomes another part to sell. The Tesla solution is nice because it live streams the carjacking to the owner, enabling them to pick out details about the thief that could be useful to ar…

I haven't heard that they send it to the cloud, do you have more details on it?

And for even locally - you need to buy ssd and plug it in to start recording video from sentry/dashboard.

Re: Why do they still make car alarms? (2015)

#59

Post by coryrc » Tue, Jan 19, 2021, 10:12 PM UTC

dangerboysteve wrote: post #55

In large cities people ignore car alarms and are more and likely going to attract a brick through the window from pissed of neighbors. The biggest issue is people with car alarms have the sensitivity so low anything triggers them. I used to live in a condo, owned a Fatboy and when I fired up the bike and rode up the underground parkade 6-10 cars alarms would go off.

Congrats on finding something more disruptive than car alarms.

Re: Why do they still make car alarms? (2015)

#60

Post by vocram » Tue, Jan 19, 2021, 10:13 PM UTC

dangerboysteve wrote: post #55

In large cities people ignore car alarms and are more and likely going to attract a brick through the window from pissed of neighbors. The biggest issue is people with car alarms have the sensitivity so low anything triggers them. I used to live in a condo, owned a Fatboy and when I fired up the bike and rode up the underground parkade 6-10 cars alarms would go off.

You meant sensitivity so _high_?