Latest grab by auto manufactures

[Jstpssng]

If you lock yourself out of your car, On Star can open it for you. Cell phone can’t without an app. And if you lock your phone and keys in the car, you can borrow someone else’s phone and call On Star to have them open if for you.

So there are advantages to On Star Vs a cell phone.

A spare key stashed will accomplish the same thing.

I have never locked myself out of a truck with a fob; it ensures that the key is in my hand when I lock it. Door buzzers are a different story; I am in, out, and around the truck so much that they are simply an annoyance and I instinctively pull and drop the keys before getting out. The last time I locked myself out I had about 1/2 hour to get where I was supposed to meet my boss; I walked down to the hardware store and said "What do you have for burglar tools?"
I bought a felling wedge and 4 foot piece of steel rod; it took about 10 minutes to get back into the truck. (I have AAA but didn't want to wait around for them.)

 

[IndyJay]

When you get in a bad car accident, your phone goes flying and is of little use. On Star will detect the crash and call automatically.

When your car is stolen, your cell phone isn’t likely inside of it. On Star can locate your car quickly for police. It can also shut your car down in a controlled manner, so it basically slows down to a crawl.

It can also disable the ignition, so once it’s shut off, it can’t be restarted.

If you lock yourself out of your car, On Star can open it for you. Cell phone can’t without an app. And if you lock your phone and keys in the car, you can borrow someone else’s phone and call On Star to have them open if for you.

So there are advantages to On Star Vs a cell phone.

Mossy, all of these things are wonderful when the technology is used for those purposes, but all too often we are seeing these tools being abused and used against us. For example in Canada when the truck drivers protested government overreach, the found their bank accounts frozen and seized and their social media accounts locked. Do you really think it is that much of a stretch for a "dissident" to get locked out of their car as easily as being locked out of their bank account? We are already seeing too many abuses of our civil liberties for the "better good" by those who believe that the ends justify the means in obtaining their idea of Nirvana. I do not like handing that much control over my life and freedom to anyone.

 

[mikester]

When you get in a bad car accident, your phone goes flying and is of little use. On Star will detect the crash and call automatically.

When your car is stolen, your cell phone isn’t likely inside of it. On Star can locate your car quickly for police. It can also shut your car down in a controlled manner, so it basically slows down to a crawl.

It can also disable the ignition, so once it’s shut off, it can’t be restarted.

If you lock yourself out of your car, On Star can open it for you. Cell phone can’t without an app. And if you lock your phone and keys in the car, you can borrow someone else’s phone and call On Star to have them open if for you.

So there are advantages to On Star Vs a cell phone.

I still remember having my new Canadian GMC truck in Chicago trying to use OnStar for the first time and getting the message "sorry cellular service unavailable"

Technology is great when you read the brochures.

I am sure the heated seats in your BMW are awesome if you paid for the subscription service that lets you turn them on. Or your 4 wheel steering on your Mercedes. I am sure some millennials will tell you subscription services are important because they bring you the best features for free.

 

[Jstpssng]

Mossy, all of these things are wonderful when the technology is used for those purposes, but all too often we are seeing these tools being abused and used against us. For example in Canada when the truck drivers protested government overreach, the found their bank accounts frozen and seized and their social media accounts locked. Do you really think it is that much of a stretch for a "dissident" to get locked out of their car as easily as being locked out of their bank account? We are already seeing too many abuses of our civil liberties for the "better good" by those who believe that the ends justify the means in obtaining their idea of Nirvana. I do not like handing that much control over my life and freedom to anyone.

We also didn't grow up with all of the "conveniences"... heck, I even remember when I had to take my gas cap off before getting fuel.
The generation which is now assuming power did, and expect it. I'm sure there are things which I take for granted, but would have made my grandparents very unhappy.

 

[ruffdog]

For people that spend a large amount of their life in a car, onstar may be worth it. For me, I spend very little time in the car so it is wasted money. A VERY basic vehicle works great for me. Here are the onstar plans and prices:

Compare Plans & Prices for OnStar and Connected Services

 

[ultrarunner]

Anytime the product is free then you are the product. They collect and sell data that the device/software collects on you.

Paying for a product doesn't mean data isn't collected...

 

[ultrarunner]

I am in the people's republic of New Jersey I have a placard for a 20 year old vehicle that announces to any LEO who stops me that I no longer need inspections.

Good to know...

California froze inspection at year model 1976...

So 1975 and older no longer inspected.

 

[IndyJay]

Paying for a product doesn't mean data isn't collected...

True but I am referring to the "free" apps that corporations spend millions of dollars on. These are often reported to their shareholders as "additional revenue streams". They are not doing it out of kindness and generosity.

 

[mrmikey]

It can also disable the ignition, so once it’s shut off, it can’t be restarted.

I can't wait for the first accidental shutdown while driving at 110 KPH or the seat warmer coming on a blistering summer day.
There's a channel I watch, the fella's got his own landscaping business. Just got a new 2022 Ford 350. Him and his wife were sitting in their living room late one night and the headlights come on by them self, the windows roll down by it's self, truck wouldn't shut off, backup camera wouldn't work all happening at different times. They, dealer, were supposed to replace the wiring harness and that was what he was told they were going to do when they left it at the dealer for replacement. They didn't, they 'repaired' it. My point...if the manufacturers can't get the basic functions to work properly with a hardwired connection, how the he77 are they going to work with software trying to control hardware via long distance.....Mike

 

[LS Tractor Owner]

Nope, nada, not gonna happen..... Last time that I purchased a new vehicle (2019), the sales guy was really pushing for the next "package" up, the tech package.... of course, there are other packages that you have to get added in order to get that one. I told him I didn't want half of the stupid stuff already added.

Then proceeded to tell them that I wasn't willing to pay for the options that I didn't want, and were being 'forced' to purchase. When I mentioned that the option 'packages' only cost about 40% of what they were listed (MSRP), and that was all that I was willing to pay, the negotiations got serious.

My next ammunition is to then mention that they get 'dealer hold back' allotment, financing kickback, floorplan / stock allotment, and volume discount. Usually that is the time the salesman throws in the towel and I deal directly with the sales manager.

The MSRP was $36,200, I paid $28,400 plus had a class IV hitch, brake controller, and spray in bed liner added in at that final price.

Granted, this was all pre-covid and supply issues. Things have changed.

 

[WM75Guy]

Do you get an insurance discount for having Onstar that might cancel out the monthly fee?

No insurance discounts. The benefits and peace of mind knowing my wife won't be stranded with a disabled vehicle is worth it. We don't work 8-5 so being able to locate any of our vehicles using the app allows us to see if the other has left work without having to call them. The remote start using the app has come in handy with the string of 100+ degrees days we have had lately. Remote start the car and it is cold inside when you get in, also nice in the winter to have it warmed up. Remote start is good for 15 minutes and after that it shuts off, so I get stopped for a problem walking out of the hospital or she gets stopped walking out of the clinic, the vehicle shuts off.

 

[Raul-02]

Anytime the product is free then you are the product. They collect and sell data that the device/software collects on you.

Clearly you haven't any sense of who the Linux community is. They are for the most part computer wizards with a revolutionary spirit. They take every single line of code apart and relish in the act of finding and exposing things they don't like.
You can take to the bank that if it is in the linux software boutique it is safer than anything else on the planet.
Your statement applies to for profit commercial enterprises like FaceBook and Twitter. There and in companies like that you are indeed the product and the front end is merely the cheese.

Not so with Cannonical. They are not profit-driven.
But unless you are capable of finding this out for yourself, well you have only the word of people on the internet whom you will never meet.
It does take a certain amount of intelligence to do that so ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
You are on your own.

 

[Raul-02]

Do you really think it is that much of a stretch for a "dissident" to get locked out of their car as easily as being locked out of their bank account?

That is the world we are on our hands and knees begging for.
I often ask people why they imagine that the second amendment follows tight on the First and why the founders did those two right out of the gate.
They couldn't imagine every twist and turn the world would take. but they knew that power corrupts and sooner or later the first amendment wouldn't be enough.
It ain't there for huntin' squirrels or defending one's home.

 

[paulfun9]

I don’t see nor do I understand why people live in fear of only what might go wrong?

I survived car accidents, house fires, motorcycle accidents. With out ever even owning a cell phone and still don’t feel the need to own one!
Onstar or what ever that thing is called in my BMW didn’t even do anything when the car got wrecked! The only thing all the safety features did was start to look like it would cost a small fortune to replace the lost key.
Thankfully my husband knew a tech savvy kid who was able to program a new one for the cost of lunch at McDonald’s! Which again really doesn’t say much about paying for that 300+ dollar ignition key.
I would say a $1.99 key would have been a much more realistic option!

Take you tech and expense and pay for it yourself but don’t demand I do the same and pay for something I don’t want, dont need and don’t want to pay for. Then you see they run to the polatician and ask for a law to save us from ourselves because without forcing it on everyone they can’t afford to make it work and they don’t make enough money for it to be profitable.

I remember getting the police on channel 9 on the CB radio and it worked just fine. Doesn’t cost a monthly subscription and you can move it to your next car in just a few minutes with only the expense of a little electrical tape. No major cost needed, no upgrades needed, no monthly fees needed! It’s simple, non intrusive and still works after all these years.

Someone said they don’t understand why we need all this stuff in the car when the cell phone already can do those things. Then why not an app on your phone that locks out texting while driving with an impact sensor that does the same thing as onstar? It Would help stop what I consider the worst drivers from using thier phones while driving and save the rest of us from having to pay for someone else’s fears.

Just some random thoughts
Janet

 

[Jstpssng]

I remember getting the police on channel 9 on the CB radio and it worked just fine

I remember trying on a couple of occasions and not getting anybody. Fortunately neither time was an emergency.

 

[IndyJay]

Clearly you haven't any sense of who the Linux community is. They are for the most part computer wizards with a revolutionary spirit. They take every single line of code apart and relish in the act of finding and exposing things they don't like.
You can take to the bank that if it is in the linux software boutique it is safer than anything else on the planet.
Your statement applies to for profit commercial enterprises like FaceBook and Twitter. There and in companies like that you are indeed the product and the front end is merely the cheese.

Not so with Cannonical. They are not profit-driven.
But unless you are capable of finding this out for yourself, well you have only the word of people on the internet whom you will never meet.
It does take a certain amount of intelligence to do that so ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
You are on your own.

I am familiar with Linux, cut my teeth on Knoppix 20 years ago. I was referring to "apps", not operating systems.

 

[IndyJay]

I don’t see nor do I understand why people live in fear of only what might go wrong?

I survived car accidents, house fires, motorcycle accidents. With out ever even owning a cell phone and still don’t feel the need to own one!
Onstar or what ever that thing is called in my BMW didn’t even do anything when the car got wrecked! The only thing all the safety features did was start to look like it would cost a small fortune to replace the lost key.
Thankfully my husband knew a tech savvy kid who was able to program a new one for the cost of lunch at McDonald’s! Which again really doesn’t say much about paying for that 300+ dollar ignition key.
I would say a $1.99 key would have been a much more realistic option!

Take you tech and expense and pay for it yourself but don’t demand I do the same and pay for something I don’t want, dont need and don’t want to pay for. Then you see they run to the polatician and ask for a law to save us from ourselves because without forcing it on everyone they can’t afford to make it work and they don’t make enough money for it to be profitable.

I remember getting the police on channel 9 on the CB radio and it worked just fine. Doesn’t cost a monthly subscription and you can move it to your next car in just a few minutes with only the expense of a little electrical tape. No major cost needed, no upgrades needed, no monthly fees needed! It’s simple, non intrusive and still works after all these years.

Someone said they don’t understand why we need all this stuff in the car when the cell phone already can do those things. Then why not an app on your phone that locks out texting while driving with an impact sensor that does the same thing as onstar? It Would help stop what I consider the worst drivers from using thier phones while driving and save the rest of us from having to pay for someone else’s fears.

Just some random thoughts
Janet

I have to laugh when I hear LaRosa pizza ads touting how "you can now order pizza on your smart phone".

I was ordering pizzas on my rotary phone 50 years ago!

 

[lman]

I thought the same until I had a rental in a cold climate. It’s nice to warm your car up on an extremely cold day. I could take or leave this but the feature I am addicted to is when you don’t have to get the keys out of your pocket to unlock the door. That is an awesome feature!

Our car is kept in the garage so I don't think it would be a good idea to use the remote start.
A better item to have would be a garage.

 

[bmaverick]

Pay a monthly fee for simple HEATED SEATS ???

My vehicle didn't come with them. All I did was order a set of strap on aftermarket and my behind is nice and warm in the winter now. Paid a mere $22. It's a great add-on.

 

[JasperFrank]

"Not so with Cannonical. They are not profit-driven." Canonical, the entity behind the Ubuntu Distro, is spelled with one N.