[leftoverture]

Originally Posted by dradern

Your comment gives me pause and reminds me that engaging a local agent will cost me nothing, inform me as to what is presently going on with rates among the various insurers, what is likely coming down the pike and why, and broaden my perspective regarding insurers that may be more suitable to meeting my actual needs.

Just whatever you do, don't use Safeco. Absolutely the worst when it comes to claims service. They fight you on every little detail of every claim.

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by MarcoZandrini

I too have sent LN a request for a report on what data are being collected. I'll check around for independent insurance agents in my area.

I sent a request to LexisNexis and got back the same type of report I've received from credit reporting agencies like Equifax and Experian. There was nothing in it regarding driving behavior data.

Verisk sent me a letter stating it receives driving behavior data only from GM, Hyundai, and Honda. This is the letter:

[dradernh]

I came across a site today called Privacy4Cars (https://privacy4cars.com/personal-use/). It's a deep dive into automotive data collection and what may be done with that data by those that collect it.

At present, it offers a free service for requesting that auto manufacturers, lenders, and insurance companies limit what they do with your data.

It also has a beta service for a product that it will (apparently) charge for in the future and appears will request that a wider range of possessors of auto owners' data...do what...delete it, limit distribution of it, and/or ??? That wasn't clear to me.

I haven't paired a phone to my car or entered any personal data into it on my own and so was taken aback by the "Bank Vice President Who Got In An Accident" section next to the bottom of this page: https://privacy4cars.com/personal-us...ta-from-a-car/. I might've had a heart attack if I'd learned all that data of mine was left in my totaled car for anyone to access.

For this old guy, it's getting to be too complicated to keep up with it all.

[leftoverture]

Originally Posted by dradernh

I came across a site today called Privacy4Cars (https://privacy4cars.com/personal-use/). It's a deep dive into automotive data collection and what may be done with that data by those that collect it.

At present, it offers a free service for requesting that auto manufacturers, lenders, and insurance companies limit what they do with your data.

It also has a beta service for a product that it will (apparently) charge for in the future and appears will request that a wider range of possessors of auto owners' data...do what...delete it, limit distribution of it, and/or ??? That wasn't clear to me.

I haven't paired a phone to my car or entered any personal data into it on my own and so was taken aback by the "Bank Vice President Who Got In An Accident" section next to the bottom of this page: https://privacy4cars.com/personal-us...ta-from-a-car/. I might've had a heart attack if I'd learned all that data of mine was left in my totaled car for anyone to access.

For this old guy, it's getting to be too complicated to keep up with it all.

Interestingly, that site forces you to enter all your private contact info on order to offer the free opt out service. Makes me think I'm trading one beast for another

[albertw]

On my new Blackwing (which I pick up tomorrow - probably my last post here) the consensus on the forums is that the OnStar module can be disconnected from the antenna easily with no ill effects. However, it's not clear how long the module retains data it receives, which might be downloaded when the dealer hooks the car up to GM before doing any service. The cable from the car can also be disconnected or the entire module can be removed (it's in the trunk) and apparently the car still works fine. Since I don't want or need any service or snooping from OnStar, I plan to remove the module.

It might be worth trying to find out whether the snooping hardware in the 2-series is accessible and whether it can be disabled or removed. If I were keeping the 240i that's what I would be looking into.

[freakystyly]

Pretty much this...

[dradernh]

Originally Posted by leftoverture

Interestingly, that site forces you to enter all your private contact info on order to offer the free opt out service. Makes me think I'm trading one beast for another

My understanding of their explanation for that is without it they can't provide the data collectors with the specifics necessary so they can confirm that it's a legitimate request coming through.

I don't know...I'll add to the thread if my life is suddenly turned upside down.

Originally Posted by albertw

On my new Blackwing (which I pick up tomorrow - probably my last post here) the consensus on the forums is that the OnStar module can be disconnected from the antenna easily with no ill effects. However, it's not clear how long the module retains data it receives, which might be downloaded when the dealer hooks the car up to GM before doing any service. The cable from the car can also be disconnected or the entire module can be removed (it's in the trunk) and apparently the car still works fine. Since I don't want or need any service or snooping from OnStar, I plan to remove the module.

It might be worth trying to find out whether the snooping hardware in the 2-series is accessible and whether it can be disabled or removed. If I were keeping the 240i that's what I would be looking into.

You may find this piece by a GM Chevy Bolt-owning reporter worth a read: https://www.nytimes.com/2024/04/23/t...a-consent.html.

P.S. Congrats on getting the Blackwing(!), and please come back at least once to share with us your experiences with it.

Originally Posted by freakystyly

Pretty much this...

Don't sync your phone to your car is one major point I got from that site. I don't use a smartphone and haven't sync'd my flip phone, but my thought as I absorbed that idea was: "Hey, I think that horse left the barn years ago now."

[Phillymb75]

I saw the articles about the data sharing and contacted LexisNexis for my file, there was nothing in my file regarding driving behavior. I have two BMW's both with connected services.