The recent car models over the last years have had better systems, considering that they can now be connected to the internet and have their own apps for remote navigation and control. While this is seen as innovative and convenient, it has been exploited by abusive partners, and regulators expressed their concerns about it.
Using Car Apps to Track Drivers
Your smartphone can now serve as a control system for your car, making it possible to turn your car on, adjust the temperature, see the battery percentage for EVs, and so on, all without having to get in the vehicle. Unfortunately, some people see these features as a way to harass car owners.
There have been cases where abusive partners are using the apps connected to vehicles to stalk or harass their partners, making the technology dangerous for those who want to steer clear of the individuals. What's worse is that the companies behind the car are no help at all.
The victims of the exploited features said that when they contacted the manufacturers of their vehicles to remove their abusers' access to the cars, they were either unresponsive or said that there was nothing they could do about it, as per The New York Times.
Customer service personnel reasoned that since the abusers, which were previous partners of the victims were co-owners of the car, they could not remove their access. Even legal separations like divorce or restraining orders were not grounds enough.
With the situation becoming more dangerous, FCC Chairwoman Jessica Rosenworcel expressed that "no survivor of domestic violence and abuse should have to choose between giving up their car and allowing themselves to be stalked and harmed."
Furthermore, Rosenworcel stated that they need to work with auto and wireless industry leaders to find solutions for the issue. The FCC already sent letters to nine of the largest advanced car manufacturers like General Motors, Tesla, Ford Motor, and Toyota.
In addition to that, companies that provide internet connection for the affected cars also received letters from the FCC such as Verizon, AT&T, and T-Mobile. All the contacted automakers and communication providers are expected to respond to the letter by the end of the month.
Smart Cars Affecting Privacy
Even without abusive partners as factors in the negative aspects of a well-connected car, there's still the question of how safe your private data is. In order to provide the best service, car companies have to collect data about the driver, which calls into question the security measures they're implementing.
Even car company giants can suffer cyberattacks, and this, in turn, could result in stolen information about their drivers. Business professor Rajiv Kohli said that users "need assurance that their data are protected from cybercriminals and misuse," as per W&M News.
As important as it is for manufacturers and service providers to implement high-level security measures, Kohli also expressed that there are "too many breaches and misuses of data to provide assurances and build trust with individual users."
