privacy Toyota's Personal Data Security - your new car may not be your BFF

[Sparky731]

All of Toyota's eTune Service Connect features are impressive, but they very suspect if you are concerned about the privacy of you personal data.

Personally, I have disconnected all of the Toyota Service Connect features and am asking the Service Department to figure out how to fully disable the vehicle's continuous data transmit function.  

This is the only way that I can protect my personal data from uncontrolled distribution to just about anyone who is listening to the vehicle -- and to hopefully get other owners to realize that the data Toyota is collecting through their Connect Services should be securely protected and that it has monetary value and should not be taken from us without renumeration.  

Toyota's Privacy Statement is SCARY.  Read it!  https://www.toyota.com/privacyvts/   It is only 1 page.

Pay special attention to these statements within the Policy: 

Quote

When you lease or buy a vehicle equipped with Connected Services, data collection is active. You may deactivate Connected Services at any time by contacting us; and we will no longer collect your Personal Information, Location Data, Driving Data and Vehicle Health Data.

If you do not deactivate Connected Services, you specifically consent to our electronic collection and use of your personal information and vehicle data and our storage of such data wherever we designate.

This Privacy Notice DOES NOT Apply To:

• Data collection unrelated to Connected Services on Toyota or Lexus websites that we do not own, operate or control.

The eTune apps are all hosted by Toyota's Partners who can abide by the same extremely liberal Privacy Policy.

If you agree to this concern, reply -- and/or call or email your Toyota salesperson and ask her/him if they have any concerns about how Toyota is using your personal data.  At a very minimum, owners should get all of Toyota's Service Connect systems for free in exchange for Toyota's unencumbered use of owners' personal data.

However, I would rather not give my personal data to anyone.

p.s. Comparatively TOC's Privacy Statement is sound and data secure.  I can agree to that one -- or I would not be on this website.