On-Star... Cancel???

[Drumminxx]

Originally Posted by stoopid

I'm selling tinfoil caps for the roof antennas if anyone's interested.

oh! The OnStar blocker...you could be on to something there

[Chevy_cowboy]

Originally Posted by PalmerGA

[/B]
I only make the point that it is technologically possible and that they could do so if they chose to.

Again, it is technologically possible - though I doubt they would just call your insurance company out of the blue.

lots of crazy things are possible I guess, I try to only worry about the ones that are plausible or even likely. Like I said, when there's even a shred of evidence that Onstar has or plans to do any of that, I'd love to see it. But until then its just tinfoil hat paranoia.

Car accidents and thefts however are a real thing that happens to people, even people who think it won't happen to them. That's not fear mongering, its just a fact of life.

[Chevy_cowboy]

Originally Posted by Norm Peterson

It's on both sides, then. Overstressing the unexpected in a manner that leads people to believe it's more likely to happen than is actually the case certainly does constitute fear mongering.

The possibility that your data could be misused is unfortunately a real fear these days. How extensively it could be used to hurt you is a separate question that I'm not going to get into a discussion over.

Suppose I had a car with OnStar - I do believe it can now be added to a few other makes - and my insurance company decided to call OnStar on their own initiative. Now what?

I could get up from my computer, step outside my front door, and be struck dead by lightning. Must I have a nanny for that as well?


Norm

Probably the same thing that would happen if my health insurance company called McDonalds and asked how many cheeseburgers I've eaten this year. They'd get laughed at.

[Mongo RS]

Wow, lots of big brother fearing tinfoil hats in this thread.


How many here have a cell phone?


Guess what- you can be tracked. They don't need OnStar.

In order for a cell phone to work now, it must have GPS. This was a requirement for 911 calls.

Even before, it was done through triangulation.

https://www.aclu.org/how-government-...your-movements

There are many other ways to be tracked, so OnStar is not the devil.

BTW, I have OnStar and XM radio subscriptions simply because I do not like a non functioning feature.

[Chevy_cowboy]

If GM's whole goal with Onstar was to track their customers every move and driving habit for sinister means, beit selling the info the insurance companies or reporting illegal behavior to law enforcement or just blackmailing you or whatever... why not make it a secret addition to the car? Why would they advertise the system on every commercial and brochure? That's terrible spy work

And after 20 years of doing it, you'd think there'd be some sort of evidence of this sinister program. Like you know, every time I speed a cop shows up, or somehow my insurance company knows about that time I rolled through the redlight when there was no one around.

[Mongo RS]

Originally Posted by Chevy_cowboy

If GM's whole goal with Onstar was to track their customers every move and driving habit for sinister means, beit selling the info the insurance companies or reporting illegal behavior to law enforcement or just blackmailing you or whatever... why not make it a secret addition to the car? Why would they advertise the system on every commercial and brochure? That's terrible spy work

And after 20 years of doing it, you'd think there'd be some sort of evidence of this sinister program. Like you know, every time I speed a cop shows up, or somehow my insurance company knows about that time I rolled through the redlight when there was no one around.

For that matter, if this is GM's mindset, why would they sell a car that is capable of breaking speed limits?

[Chevy_cowboy]

Originally Posted by Mongo RS

For that matter, if this is GM's mindset, why would they sell a car that is capable of breaking speed limits?

to entrap us and make all their loyal customers lose their license so they can't drive anymore....

oh wait

[stoopid]

Originally Posted by Drumminxx

oh! The OnStar blocker...you could be on to something there

And it doubles as an alien penis implant discombobulator!

[elektrik]

Originally Posted by stoopid

And it doubles as an alien penis implant discombobulator!

oh....kay....

[SS4Fun]

Oh my......... you'll are killing me!!! My point was that if you don't make an effort you might as well just "bend over"!!! Going to call again today and decide. That's why they give you onstar and SiriusXM.... once you have it hard to give it up..... we all know that!!!!

[Cam_Cam]

By the way, it's not really a "card" for me to play that I work for GM IT. I don't work directly for Onstar, but I've dealt with enough private data to know that data privacy is a HUGE priority for GM. We have one of the most sophisticated Data Centers in the entire world, rivaling that of Google. I can promise you that our customers data security is a TOP priority for the company.

And as far as Onstar data tracking goes, they're going to start using that data to predict break downs BEFORE they occur so you don't end up stuck on the side of a road somewhere. This will also help to diagnosis issues that may require recalls so we don't end up in a similar situation to 2014.

[B73]

Originally Posted by Chevy_cowboy

Probably the same thing that would happen if my health insurance company called McDonalds and asked how many cheeseburgers I've eaten this year. They'd get laughed at.

best response I think I've ever read

[Chevy_cowboy]

Originally Posted by Comrando

Already done.

If I have a complete physical once a year and meet their specs I have a $250 deductible. Otherwise it's a grand.

how is that remotely similar to paying a 3rd party company to spy on you?

[Norm Peterson]

Originally Posted by Cam_Cam

And as far as Onstar data tracking goes, they're going to start using that data to predict break downs BEFORE they occur so you don't end up stuck on the side of a road somewhere. This will also help to diagnosis issues that may require recalls so we don't end up in a similar situation to 2014.

I assume that this means that an extensive amount of data would be collected, in order to work up a valid estimate of remaining component life. Would that exact same data be readily available to car owners, say, in a dispute with the dealership over whether "abuse" was a factor in some failure?

If it's going to predict things I might already be aware of having finite life - brake pads, for instance - would I then be pestered with all manner of reminders to get them looked at when it's something I'd be aware of and prepared to do myself?


Norm