The transition started with drive-by-wire and the CAN bus, but the moment they added cellular modems, the dashboard became a platform. Automakers are currently running the exact same programmatic targeting logic as web publishers and in-store retail networks. The only difference is they conveniently left out all the consent infrastructure we forced onto the web.
Tried to look at the actual ad-tech and architecture driving this rather than just doing another "touchscreens are bad" rant.
What are the options for cars that don't track you? For example, new cars that don't include tracking, cars old enough to not have it, cars that can be modified (e.g., parts disconnected, software updated) to stop it, etc.
I have a Polestar with a big touch screen on the dash. You can disconnect the cellular module in about a minute and everything still works fine. There are many such vehicles, I think this story is a little overblown.
An interesting late stage capitalism ad hack I’ve seen in cars : OTA digital radio transmits track metadata like artist, title, and album artwork. I’ve seen some stations transmit tiny square ads in place of album artwork, even while the song is playing.
a fully disconnected car that does not report back to its mother ship. does. not. exist. only other option is to buy a car old enough that does not have it. also if you didn't bring this up most north americans would be blissfully unaware, as long as the car has a good cup holder.
replacing the antenna with a 50-ohm resistor works very well. The car thinks it is out of cell reception and continues to work. No manufacturer would dare have their cars stop working merely due to it being in Montana (indistinguishable from having no cell antenna/reception).
This one issue, privacy, has stopped me from buying a new car. It is stopping me from even buying a used one since it is hard to figure out how far back you need to go to be rid of these things. Screaming at the wind though isn't helping. We need actual real options. I will buy something that it privacy aware. This is YC. Someone, build the startup that sells that and you have my money.
I bought a 2025 Ford Maverick and pulled the fuse for the telematics unit, which also disconnects the modem.
It disables the OTA updates, remote start which Ford does through a phone app (you can buy a third party keyfob attachment for $100 to do remote start easily enough), and emergency calls through the head unit. None of the features that I hugely care about. Android Auto works without issue and that's all I need the unit for.
Its small, but there remains the hope that progressive enshittification of cars might convince a few people not to own one. Cities with useful public transport infrastructure already see a trend of young people not owning a car, which is good.
Surprised to see no mention of Chinese cars, which are currently taking over the rest of the globe (EVs, REVs, hybrids). For half the price of a US or European car, you get a car with a lot more bells and whistles, which of course, include multiple large screens inside, software that controls everything (seat positions, lights, etc), LED matrix lighting on the front, and an app to control the car remotely.
Ive been screaming this since touch screens in cars started catching on. We are surely beyond believing automation is done for convenience and betterment of our lifestyles at this point. It's all to create more time and a new surface for us to serve ads on. The average consumer is completely infatuated with the idea of their car being a doom scrolling device, so we get dragged further into hell.
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[ 5.2 ms ] story [ 41.5 ms ] threadTried to look at the actual ad-tech and architecture driving this rather than just doing another "touchscreens are bad" rant.
I mean I guess it's still true, but the inverse sure isn't.
On the topic however I do wish there was a fully disconnected modern car. Maybe a Corolla with base trim has no starlink?
https://www.bitchute.com/video/QqQmHy6aqlLe/
I'm not sure how realistic this is, but conversations like this always remind me of this procedure.
Edit: maybe should have responded to the OP directly.
There is another issue with newer cars too, They have extremely loose piston rings, after X thousand miles they burn as much oil as a 2 stroke.
https://youtu.be/Ft12aZffCEg?si=uYlRABoqweTOKaoi
And you better believe I will ride around on a fucking HORSE before I put up with ads on my dashboard. Screw that noise.
Maybe it’s not a huge market but I bet there is some market still for a quality experience.