Cars collect a startling amount of data about you

Hardware hacks & opting out

• Many participants physically disable connectivity: pulling fuses, removing cellular boards, or buying pre‑connected‑car-era vehicles.
• Some note newer cars integrate modems more tightly, making removal harder or more permanent.
• Concerns that even with the modem powered off, data may be logged locally and uploaded later (e.g., during service).
• Interest in “car lobotomy” services, but worry about legal barriers like anti‑circumvention rules.

Scope and value of collected data

• Examples from data requests show detailed logs: GPS traces, timestamps, warm‑up time, speed, acceleration, cornering forces, and destinations.
• Reports that automakers sell driving data very cheaply per vehicle, yet profit still exceeds recent fines.
• Some are surprised how little revenue is generated relative to privacy cost; others say OEMs are bad at monetizing and more could be extracted.

Surveillance ecosystem: cars, phones, infrastructure

• Cars are seen as just one node in a broader network: smartphones, roadside cameras, license‑plate readers, delivery fleets, and doorbells.
• One camp argues car tracking adds little beyond what phones already expose; another replies that “more sensors in more contexts” still materially worsens privacy.

Law, regulation, and enforcement

• Strong support for legislation limiting collection, retention, and sharing; skepticism that “voting with your wallet” is effective.
• Debate over GDPR: some see it as a meaningful tool (access, deletion); others call it weak because it doesn’t stop collection and fines are small.
• Concern that governments both regulate and desire the data, and are heavily influenced by corporate lobbying.

Insurance, safety, and behavioral scoring

• Driving behavior data is already used for insurance, potentially raising rates for “hard braking,” speeding, or risky areas.
• Some welcome incentives against dangerous driving; others worry about misattribution (e.g., braking to avoid other reckless drivers) and lack of nuance.
• New mandates for crash‑calling and driver‑monitoring tech are viewed as safety wins by some, surveillance footholds by others, with calls to discard data immediately after use.

Alternatives to modern connected cars

• Enthusiasm for older, simpler cars and motorcycles, plus for emerging “no‑modem” EVs.
• Several advocate shifting to bikes, e‑bikes, and transit where feasible as both privacy‑ and climate‑friendly options.