FordPass is watching us?

[underwhelmed]

After seeing that news I requested my report from Lexis Nexus that gets reported to the insurance companies. My Progressive insurance went up 30%. 40+ years of driving and no accidents other than a deer running into my truck years ago. Report should be arriving in 10-14 days.

I am considering going back to a vehicle with none of this BS. My 2010 Frontier gave me 240k trouble free miles without any of this tracking nonsense. I may sell this new informant and go back to something similar. I’ll trade the gas mileage loss for my privacy.

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[MountainGoat]

After seeing that news I requested my report from Lexis Nexus that gets reported to the insurance companies. My Progressive insurance went up 30%. 40+ years of driving and no accidents other than a deer running into my truck years ago. Report should be arriving in 10-14 days.

I am considering going back to a vehicle with none of this BS. My 2010 Frontier gave me 240k trouble free miles without any of this tracking nonsense. I may sell this new informant and go back to something similar. I’ll trade the gas mileage loss for my privacy.

Progressive has been jacking mine up every renewal. I call and complain and they bring it down a little. Mostly I just keep raising my deductible.

 

[Dunedain Ranger]

Now here's an interesting article from FA that we can add to the discussion. Thoughts?
https://fordauthority.com/2024/03/ford-says-it-only-shares-driving-info-with-owners-consent/

 

[TJC]

Should come as a surprise to no one. Everything you do is being tracked, monitored, and sold. We'll likely never get back up that particuar slippery slope unless WWIII and the demise of everything electronic happens.

I never signed up for FordPass for just this reason, and still suspect Ford of tracking without it. I'm still considering disconnecting the antenna from the cellphone module in the passenger foot well.

 

[TJC]

Even if the truck wasn't tracking you (it does), the phone you carry around everywhere surely does, and the computers you use do too. So, quit be paranoid about being tracked, it's unavoidable unless you want to live off grid.

I own a phone that does not track or record, or anything else. It has power switches to turn off all communications as well as video and speaker. Battery can be removed, and when you turn it off it is really off.

I crowd funded Purism and they created a secure Linux based cellphone from the ground up. $600 at the time, prices have now doubled I think.

 

[5thranger]

Well, that explains why my insurance company called and wanted to know why I eat so many beans.

 

[MountainGoat]

I own a phone that does not track or record, or anything else. It has power switches to turn off all communications as well as video and speaker. Battery can be removed, and when you turn it off it is really off.

I crowd funded Purism and they created a secure Linux based cellphone from the ground up. $600 at the time, prices have now doubled I think.

$2k for the USA made one now. But Rob Braxman does some degoogled phones for reasonable prices.

 

[RedDakooter05]

Well ya'll better throw your phones in the garbage, and stay off the internet.
Oh and never use your credit cards.

 

[ccasanova22]

So for those who’d like to know, what do you pull (Telematics fuse?) to stop the data collection?

Surely you lose features, but for some, it’s worth it. Does it set any codes or will the dealer refuse service if you disable the power to the Telematics unit?

 

[thorn726]

>>My own insurance rates (Progressive) went up, and I am a conservative driver. <<
unrelated to the being watched by Ford, BUT: nearly everyone's insurance went up this year. I have a stellar record and mine went up almost $100 so i called Progressive// they said they were just plain raising rates due to inflation etc// quick search revealed that here in CA the public utilities commission authorized a general rate increase. This is likely happening everywhere. Point being everyone's rates are going up this year regardless of whether Ford is watching you or not. I dont use any of the sync or fordpass functions myself.

 

[mtbikernate]

>>My own insurance rates (Progressive) went up, and I am a conservative driver. <<
unrelated to the being watched by Ford, BUT: nearly everyone's insurance went up this year. I have a stellar record and mine went up almost $100 so i called Progressive// they said they were just plain raising rates due to inflation etc// quick search revealed that here in CA the public utilities commission authorized a general rate increase. This is likely happening everywhere. Point being everyone's rates are going up this year regardless of whether Ford is watching you or not. I dont use any of the sync or fordpass functions myself.

when parts are more expensive, insurance rates go up.

 

[yamahaSHO]

I moved my 'fun' cars over to Hagerty insurance. They ask if the cars are used for competition... I'm not too concerned. I drive pretty sanely in most cases, but will take the fun cars out for some street fun, though I generally do it away from everyone. My Life360 app, which we use for the family, will tell me when I have "rapid acceleration" and "hard braking". That just tells me when I drive one of the 'fun' cars.

My insurance cost for both of the toy vehicles is the same as it was with USAA, but I have an agreed value for the vehicles where USAA would try to pay me far less.

 

[KYFord4x4]

I just assume everything tracks me at this point. I make myself feel better by continuously denying my insurance tracking app.

The Rub:

Some automakers, General Motors in particular, compiles and sells the information to brokers who then sell it to insurance companies. The insurance company doesn't have to track you in real-time, they can amass a "history" on you and determine your rates or whether they want to continue to offer you a policy.

 

[MountainGoat]

>>My own insurance rates (Progressive) went up, and I am a conservative driver. <<
unrelated to the being watched by Ford, BUT: nearly everyone's insurance went up this year. I have a stellar record and mine went up almost $100 so i called Progressive// they said they were just plain raising rates due to inflation etc// quick search revealed that here in CA the public utilities commission authorized a general rate increase. This is likely happening everywhere. Point being everyone's rates are going up this year regardless of whether Ford is watching you or not. I dont use any of the sync or fordpass functions myself.

Well progressive also has a lawsuit to settle cause they had $25k grants you could only win if you're black. Some barber shop in Harlem got my insurance payment, lol.

Well ya'll better throw your phones in the garbage, and stay off the internet.
Oh and never use your credit cards.

TBH none of those things have done anyone any good.

 

[Sojourner]

Now here's an interesting article from FA that we can add to the discussion. Thoughts?
https://fordauthority.com/2024/03/ford-says-it-only-shares-driving-info-with-owners-consent/

Just saw that myself. Interesting that it showed up at the same time this thread was running. Coincidence? I think so.

However, note the needle-threading and deflection Ford does with their statement. And, as I noted previously, what you might consider "data" and "yours" Ford considers as "theirs" and "something else" in order to create the fig leaf that all is on the up and up.

Well ya'll better throw your phones in the garbage, and stay off the internet.

Oh and never use your credit cards.

Yeah, I get it. But that doesn't mean we should just roll over and bend over.

Nothing will ever change if the squeaky wheel decides to stay greased.

Just the fact that Ford noticed/is noticing continued customer-based discontent (article on FA mentioned above) may mean some progress against the data hoovering is being made. Probably not, but we should still keep trying....

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