This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.
Don't forget some love for Ford too:
Ford Patents In-Car System That Eavesdrops So It Can Play You Ads Imagine your car playing you an ad based on your destination, vehicle information—and listening to your conversations. https://www.motortrend.com/news/ford-in-vehicle-advertising-patent/
The only way I'd buy one of these things is on a factory-delete custom order that removes the whole mess. You can still buy some fleet vehicles this way. The day I buy a car that has ads in its unremovable infotainment system will be a cold day in hell. I'll build a fucking car before buying one with ads.
I'm well into considering the build a car avenue myself. Since new cars are all bullshit now, I'm seriously tempted to just remove the drivetrain from my truck when it finally conks out and stick a kit built aftermarket EV powertrain in it instead.
For reference, my truck is so dumb it has crank windows. I'd like to keep it that way.
I have a pickup from the pre-infotainment era, and I've considered how long I'd be able to keep it. Buying an old vehicle from the south an doing a restore is so much more attractive than anything that has touchscreen controls for hvac, media, etc. All of that shit is a massive safety hazard and a huge pain in the ass to use. It's all garbage. Give me knobs and buttons all day long.
I have a 2015 Rav 4 that's just on the cusp. It has built in GPS/Infotainment unit that has buttons, and needs to be updated by going to the Toyota website, downloading the software updates onto a USB, and then plugging the USB into the car's port.
Honestly it's the perfect level of tech for me. Sure the built-in maps are a bit outdated now, but I don't need cellular service to navigate around, and I have infotainment and climate buttons on my steering wheel as well as the dashboard.
Praying it lasts another 10 years.
My 2004 F150 rocks out, except for the mileage.
If I had the space to store it, I would be searching for a second-hand engine and transmission for my 2004.
It's probably a good time to buy them and then hold on to it for five or seven years until it's needed. Rebuild it, slap it in, then keep the other one for a rebuild.
I had to do a driving gig for work around last Halloween. The minivan i rented had a control console I'd expect to find on the starship Enterprise. It took me 10 minutes of YouTube to figure out how to turn off the damn parking brake. Fuck that shit.
I've had this idea for awhile to make complete conversion kits for more popular/common vehicles.
Who knows it will spawn an industry of standardized EV chassis you can buy and 3D print shops for the custom body when regular car producers go too far with spying and nagging.
Cool idea, but probably not going to happen. The outer surface of the car is too important for efficiency and safety to let a product like this exist.
I'm debating whether I can get away with an ebike. Work is 25 miles away, which is a long time in the saddle (esp in winter), but a train cuts that to 10 miles in the saddle.
They finally did it, the crazy sonnuva bitches finally reached you about your cars extended warranty.
Now it's constant, it's everywhere, at every stop. MAKE IT STOOOOP. *gouges out eyeballs*
I'm banking on my 2008 Toyota Tundra will just keep on being a Toyota and not need to be replaced for a LONG LONG time.
First thing I'm doing when I buy a new car is ripping out the internet antennas.
My specs for a car are simple. You drive me to and from either work, or the grocery store. Nothing else.
Equipment that can't perform to spec gets replaced. Equipment that won't perform to spec gets abused until it will, or it can't.
Prolly breach of warranty 🤡
Yep, and they might even try to slap on a DMCA violation
I (unfortunately) am in the market for a new-to-me car and I'm so pissed that my only options are either 15+ year old vehicles or spyware on wheels.
I may not rip out any antennas, but I'm damn sure going to try and interfere with them somehow.
Look for cars from around 2018. Thats when android auto and car play started being common, but spyware and constant internet connectivity wasn't quite yet.
Fake data!
Sounds like a kit car or rebuild of a less than sporty classic would be ideal for your commuter car.
I'm glad my car, a Sorento 2020, in Canada, does not have a modem or a GPS, does not call home, etc and has no Sirius XM
Same with my 2014 Subaru Outback. I’m holding onto it as long as I can.
Well, I wasn't interested in Jeep before, now I'm decidedly against buying a new one.
I was already decidedly against ever buying one and now I’m just laughing my ass off.
How long until you have to buy ad block and uBlock origin for the infotainment?
buy uBlock
my brother, did you pay for uBlock?
Nah but Stellantis will create it so people who bought the extended warranty can add on this perk
Just rip it out and replace it.
I'm sensing a future where cars are becoming like cell phones and laptops, a single unit without replaceable core parts. And they'll have ads built right in.
That future is now. Most modern cars have the dashboard computer completely integrated and you can't remove it without crippling the vehicle.
It's really not that simple. There are basic car functionalities that are built into the infotainment system these days. I've seen some aftermarket fixes but frankly I'd rather just choose a different vehicle.
"I'm calling to talk to you about your vehicle's extended warranty"
And just like that, no one ever bought a jeep, ever again.
I wish that were the case but humanity has taught us over and over again that they will continuously tolerate more and more corporate bullshit.
Wait, what, you mean my saying something in a comment to a post doesn't automagically make that thing happen?!?
What a weird reply.
It only gets weirder.
K
There's a market waiting for car without all this crap. Late 2000s level of electronics and aids please. That goes for EVs too.
Yeah. EV's need to tap into "tuner" culture. We need a small, nimble, and simple EV with moderate range and the ability for the layman to replace and upgrade components.
Manufacturers are making 2025 EV F150s, and what the market really wants is 1990 EV Civics.
Still loving my 2002 subaru. Cassette adapter bluetooth is my entertainment/info center lol
Assume these are at least super cheap and this is an alternative revenue model
