Traditional models are slowly being replaced by new-age, technology-packed vehicles. Telematics and infotainment that provide convenience, entertainment and security are a driving force behind this revolution.
But they are also turning modern vehicles into one of the biggest threats to personal privacy...
An infotainment system is a collection of hardware and software in automobiles that provides vehicle status information, as well as audio or video entertainment...
In doing so, day after day, these systems generate torrents of data (around 25 gigabytes per hour), a portion of which is transmitted to the manufacturer as well as stored on your car’s storage device. The amount of data recorded is truly impressive and disconcerting, and includes various technical vehicle parameters, GPS location, favorite destinations, speed and so on.
Once a user connects their smartphone to the console via USB (or wirelessly), the amount of data shared with the car increases even further. By pairing up with the device, the infotainment system downloads (and saves) even more data, adding to its database information that previously existed only on your smartphone. This includes your favorite music, apps, social media, emails, SMS history, voice data and more.
Used
cars are even worse. Their data logs contain records of every phone
ever connected to them, making them a veritable treasure trove for savvy
hackers and government agencies alike. more
