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Internet-connected cars fail privacy and security tests conducted by Mozilla

gizmodo.com

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Re: Internet-connected cars fail privacy and security tests conducted by Mozilla

#301

Post by for1nner »

devilbunny wrote: post #159
tristor wrote: post #132

Of all the horrible things go on with privacy these days, this is the one I hate the most. I’m a “car guy”, but not the sort that obsesses over old cars (although I do love 60s and 80s cars). I like new tech, I like the advances in engineering we’ve made in new vehicles, I like EVs even. Nonetheless I’ve been in the market for a new car for months and haven’t bought because it’s hard to find any cars that meet my req…

I don't know about their markups, but Mazda has been pulling out touchscreens and putting back buttons for audio and climate control purposes. Not sure how far it's made it through their models.

Mazda always refused to go fully touchscreen.

Instead they have somehow rationalized that a control wheel and featureless buttons down in the center console are safer for people to use while the vehicle is active.

It's idiotic.

Re: Internet-connected cars fail privacy and security tests conducted by Mozilla

#302

Post by nojvek »

ilikehurdles wrote: post #205
HumblyTossed wrote: post #196

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> I assume it's a cost thing. Is it though? It's not like they have to reinvent the button each time. Buttons that last a decade or three have already been designed.

Auto margins are ridiculously thin, and if a manufacturer can trim 17 cents off a car’s manufacturing cost by removing a button, they usually will.

You have a source for that?

I wish dealership margins were that thin.

Cars are much more expensive post pandemic than pre-pandemic.

Re: Internet-connected cars fail privacy and security tests conducted by Mozilla

#303

Post by loueed »

sergiosgc wrote: post #274
ragnese wrote: post #193

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> It reminds me of the complaining in the early iPhone days about lack of a physical keyboard. I totally get that. People will always complain about some new design fad, whether it's actually good or not. However... we're talking about heavy vehicles traveling at high speed with humans inside. You simply don't have to takes your eyes off the road as long with tactile controls as you do with touch screens.

My only experience with touchscreen cars is with the Model 3. You don't need the screen for operational stuff needed for driving. Off the top of my head, these are all on the steering wheel/stalks: - Blinkers - High beams - Gearbox - Climate control temperature up/down - Cruise control enable/disable, speed change - Media volume, media next/previous - Phone call answer/hangup/volume - Windshield wipers On the next Mo…

From what I've seen, they include a fallback set of gear shifter buttons below the centre console. These work even if the screen is black.

I do see a lot of praise for its ability to auto shift, basically it should predict the direction of the vehicle based on the surrounding environment.

Re: Internet-connected cars fail privacy and security tests conducted by Mozilla

#304

Post by yumraj »

I’m assuming that this is not an issue if the phone is not connected to the car via Bluetooth, yes? The worst they’ll track is my locations and some other telemetry.

I know this is not ideal, but personally I’ve never connected my phone to the car and I’ve managed. So maybe that’s what I’ll need to keep doing.

Also, can I not control this via iOS permissions?

Re: Internet-connected cars fail privacy and security tests conducted by Mozilla

#305

Post by ghostpepper »

ghaff wrote: post #215
gonehome wrote: post #182

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

There's probably some truth in that. Admittedly, it's a self-selected group to some extent, but the couple people I know who own Teslas basically tell me the controls are fine. The reality is also that, in my Honda, a bunch of the buttons that aren't on the steering wheel/column are things I touch once in a blue moon and there are probably buttons I haven't touched since I initially set up the car. And I don't actual…

Even if the controls are "fine" that doesn't mean they're not worse than physical controls. Just because they haven't caused a problem yet doesn't mean they won't under less than ideal conditions.

Re: Internet-connected cars fail privacy and security tests conducted by Mozilla

#306

Post by InitialLastName »

toastal wrote: post #97
vannucci wrote: post #78

The more I read about these things, the more I think I'll be driving my 23 year old Toyota 4Runner until the end of my life

I switched to a motorbike that has almost nothing ‘fancy’ about it--along with public transportation.

Yeah, my bicycle tracks me so little that sometimes I track myself just to feel included.

Re: Internet-connected cars fail privacy and security tests conducted by Mozilla

#307

Post by gonehome »

HumblyTossed wrote: post #199
gonehome wrote: post #182

Earlier quoted context omitted.

[flagged]

> It reminds me of the complaining in the early iPhone days about lack of a physical keyboard. This is so not the same thing.

It really is imo. Good touchscreen UI is superior in many ways (though not all) to fixed control buttons. It’s why it dominates phones and why it’s winning in the market for cars as well (Model Y was top selling car on earth for Q1 2023).

Bad touchscreen UIs suck, but that’s also true of phones. Good tactile controls have some advantages, but ultimately they’re minor and worse on net than a good touchscreen interface.

People on HN will disagree (like people here disagree about everything), but the market will settle it.

Re: Internet-connected cars fail privacy and security tests conducted by Mozilla

#308

Post by neogodless »

cpursley wrote: post #143
tristor wrote: post #132

Of all the horrible things go on with privacy these days, this is the one I hate the most. I’m a “car guy”, but not the sort that obsesses over old cars (although I do love 60s and 80s cars). I like new tech, I like the advances in engineering we’ve made in new vehicles, I like EVs even. Nonetheless I’ve been in the market for a new car for months and haven’t bought because it’s hard to find any cars that meet my req…

The touchscreens are really a dealbreaker on new cars. They’re not just prone to quick obsolescence, they’re dangerous.

We just bought a 2023 Mazda CX-5 Select for $29k. No touchscreens in the whole car! And no dealer markup - we paid slightly under MSRP.

But... it is certainly satellite connected (you can manage locks, windows, etc. from your phone, as well as remote start). Wish it was included in this privacy investigation. I'd love to know more about what they do with what they know about our car and how we use it.

Re: Internet-connected cars fail privacy and security tests conducted by Mozilla

#309

Post by EGreg »

dylan604 wrote: post #284
EGreg wrote: post #273

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I would loooooove if a Cadillac Ciel convertible from Pebble Beach 2011 came out, with the suicide doors, no touchscreens, etc. Who’s with me? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cadillac_Ciel The brands don’t often listen to their customers, all of whom clamored for this car ever since it was shown. It only appeared in the “Entourage” movie and it’s a beaut. Nary a single bad review on the entire Internet, but tons of peo…

>Car guys — what is the closest car one can get to this today, in all of human history? Go to Cuba and get some gas-guzzling illegal convertible with tailfins? Maybe not Cuba, but there's a new car restoration series on whichever streaming platform, I can't keep up, that's located in El Paso, TX. They go across the border and buy older cars, then import into the US.

Just now, I have found the closest I could find: https://megaevluxury.com/rolls-royce-ghost-convertible/

Anything like this but cheaper?

Re: Internet-connected cars fail privacy and security tests conducted by Mozilla

#310

Post by SubiculumCode »

lisper wrote: post #297

> Some of the cars tested collected data you wouldn’t expect your car to know about, including details about sexual activity, race, and immigration status, according to Mozilla. It's not just that I would not expect my car to know about these things, it's that I cannot imagine how my car could possibly know these things. Immigration status? Sexual activity? WTF? How?

cameras, mics? and/or uploading pics from your phone
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