Big Brother, You Can Drive My Car

Having once lived in the frozen north - okay, actually a smallish mountaintop in the northwestern most corner of New Jersey - and having to clear windows and dig my car out of innumerable frozen piles and snowdrifts all those years, teeth chattering and frostbite-kissed fingers barely clenching the scraper, I think I could really appreciate the concept of a 'remote start vehicle' (Although with the ferals around the house up there, I probably would have never utilized it for safety's sake). The idea of frost-free windows and a snug, toasty interior is pretty appealing to anyone when it's 18° with a negative degree wind chill outside. AP Photo/Michael Sohn, file For folks who live in places that see those sorts of numbers as a matter of course over the late fall and winter, I have no doubt it's a lifesaver. In fact, it is highly recommended in numerous articles . Cars With Remote Start: A Must-Have Feature for Extreme Temperatures Quick Facts About Remote Start Remote engine start is a necessity for many drivers in very cold or very hot climates. Factory-installed remote start is available across most makes and models. Aftermarket remote-start kits are available for almost any vehicle with an automatic transmission built after the 2000 model year. With that ability, though, comes the usual qualms about what you give up for the luxury of that warmed-up car to climb into, especially in newer vehicles equipped with all the remote bells and whistles. For instance, our newish Grand Highlander had all sorts of controls available from the Toyota app I could use. Check tire pressure, open or lock the doors, start the vehicle, practically everything but drive off was available from my phone. Way cool, I thought. I ran up against two huge issues with it. The first was when I started getting solicitations from car insurance companies based on my wonderful, safe driving record. They had approved me based on information thoughtfully provided by my Toyota app, which had been constantly monitoring the vehicle's performance, and then the Toyota corporation sold our driving data. This intrusive and constant surveillance is a serious issue. ...Modern cars have been called “ smartphones with wheels ” because they are internet-connected and have myriad methods of data collection, from cameras and seat weight sensors to records of how hard you brake and corner. Most drivers don’t realize how much information their cars are collecting and who has access to it, said Jen Caltrider, a privacy researcher at Mozilla who reviewed the privacy policies of more than 25 car brands and found surprising disclosures, such as Nissan saying it might collect information about “sexual activity.” “People think their car is private,” Ms. Caltrider said. “With a computer, you know where the camera is and you can put tape over it. Once you’ve bought a car and you find it is bad at privacy, what are you supposed to do?” Privacy advocates are concerned by how car companies are using and sharing...

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