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Tesla remotely unlocks Model 3 car, uses smart summon to help repo agent

tiremeetsroad.com

41–50 of 383 posts

Re: Tesla remotely unlocks Model 3 car, uses smart summon to help repo agent

#41
As a bicycle and old motorcycles user I am gobsmacked that so much people accept that the vehicule they are using is connected or regularly phone home to the manufacturer. I guess if you share all your life on facebook and instagram, why shouldn't you also give away all your errands to any third party.

Is there at least a license agreement you are showned at and have to agree to upon delivery? Can you operate those vehicules offline by choice?

Re: Tesla remotely unlocks Model 3 car, uses smart summon to help repo agent

#42

What is legality of making alternative firmware for Tesla? I guess they could argue with safety. Does the car loose road worthy certification, if its software is altered?

Can't comment on certifications but aftermarket performance upgrades that are not from Tesla already exist through hardware modification with some attempt at the "cat and mouse" game of detection and evasion one might expect from such activities. Haven't hard of any lawyers getting involved though.

I would assume if you do something dumb with the electronics or software you wold probably be found liable in terms of insurance.

Re: Tesla remotely unlocks Model 3 car, uses smart summon to help repo agent

#43
post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, technically, the bank owns the car till you pay it off. So, maybe they are advocating for their customers?

I don't think that's quite right, you own the vehicle legally and you owe the bank the loan. However as soon as a repossession takes place the legal title to the vehicle does change.

Isn't it reversed: that the repossession takes place because the legal title to the vehicle changed, due to the contract being broken by lack of payment?

Re: Tesla remotely unlocks Model 3 car, uses smart summon to help repo agent

#44
post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I don't think that's quite right, you own the vehicle legally and you owe the bank the loan. However as soon as a repossession takes place the legal title to the vehicle does change.

Isn't it reversed: that the repossession takes place because the legal title to the vehicle changed, due to the contract being broken by lack of payment?

Correct. I meant when the repossession order is issued.

Re: Tesla remotely unlocks Model 3 car, uses smart summon to help repo agent

#45
Is this only news "because Tesla"? User jcims mentioned Ford's having the same feature. Probably GM's do, too. For years, I've seen occasional news stories about car dealers adding similar features to vehicles which they sell to buyers with sketchy credit.

Re: Tesla remotely unlocks Model 3 car, uses smart summon to help repo agent

#46
post #24

Not much into US law, but can someone tell us what is happening if you had personal possession of value in your car?

This is my problem with it. Not that payments shouldn't be kept up to date. But that it moves decision making on the issue to a corporate entity a million miles away and you can bet there won't be any accounting for personal situations, or admin errors, or anything else. Your car will just be gone. Sorry, f@ck tesla on this.

If lenders had to take "personal situations" into account no loans would be made. Anyone can come up with a sob story.

Re: Tesla remotely unlocks Model 3 car, uses smart summon to help repo agent

#48

The advantage of autonomous cars is that they can resist their owner. That enables big cost savings for everyone (insurance, manufacturer, rental, leasing, repo). Well, everyone except for the "owner".

Who is legally the owner when a car is repossessed?

I'd say autonomous vehicles are pro-social machines. They will, in general, act to follow the rules established, ideally more often than a "dumb" car operated by a human.

Given how many traffic accidents are human caused, that's sort of the point of the entire exercise.

Re: Tesla remotely unlocks Model 3 car, uses smart summon to help repo agent

#49
post #37

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Well, technically, the bank owns the car till you pay it off. So, maybe they are advocating for their customers?

I don't think that's quite right, you own the vehicle legally and you owe the bank the loan. However as soon as a repossession takes place the legal title to the vehicle does change.

You don't own the vehicle if you have a loan, the bank has the title. The title holder is the owner. The best part about paying off a financed car, to me anyway, is the day the title shows up in the mail and you actually own your car.

Re: Tesla remotely unlocks Model 3 car, uses smart summon to help repo agent

#50
post #40
post #21

Earlier quoted context omitted.

(probably wrong statement follows) In the US, title to the vehicle usually remains in the hands of the creditor until it’s paid off.

Th title is in the owners name with a note of a bank lien on it. When you sell the car the bank lien is settled first and then the transfer can begin. In most cases you can’t register the car without the title and you cant drive the car without it being registered.

Interesting. It must be recorded at the county or something then? I haven’t seen a title for a vehicle in quite some time.
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