At the International Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, GM showed off some cool new tech, like the 2016 Chevy Volt and a magical system that predicts mechanical failures before they can leave you stranded. But the company also showed off some new OnStar technology that gives us pause–technology that monitors your driving habits, and your location, and hands that data over to insurers and retail companies.
The first is a smart driver service which, beginning this summer, allows owners of certain GM vehicles from 2013 or newer to let OnStar monitor their driving for a 90-day period. Customers who sign up will get a report back at the end of the 90 days, comparing their individual driving habits to the averaged, anonymized habits of other drivers participating in the program. From there, customers can choose to share their driving report with Progressive in the hopes of getting a good driver discount on their car insurance.
The second program, named AtYourService, is a partnership between OnStar and big-name retailers, offering drivers "information, convenience and money-saving values tied to their specific destinations" when the service rolls out this spring. That means coupons when you search for the nearest Dunkin' Donuts, OnStar-powered hotel reservations through Priceline.com, and location-based shopping coupons through RetailMeNot and Entertainment Book.
Unfortunately, both services also mean sharing your driving data with outside companies looking to make money on your travel and buying habits. GM takes pains to point out that these are opt-in services, meaning you'll have to actively share your driving audit with your insurance company, or specifically ask for a Dunkin' Donuts in order to get the coupon.
But color us a little wary. The driving habits monitor is basically a built-in version of Progressive's Snapshot, a potential money-saving program whose snooping tendencies are limited, but still more than we're entirely comfortable with. And in a world already overrun with advertising and get-em-in-the-door sales, do we really need our cars barking limited-time offers at us to lure us into the chosen retailer's parking lot?
- Progressive Insurance Offers Discounts If You Let Little Brother Ride Shotgun
- In the Future, Your Car May Report to the Tax Collector
- 2016 Chevys Will Predict Impending Mechanical Failures Before They Happen
If you're comfortable handing over this data for the chance to save some money, more power to you. That's a decision best left to each individual driver, and GM makes it clear that, at least for the driver monitoring feature, you won't accidentally sign up without ample warning. But as with all things driven by digital data, it pays to heed a well-worn aphorism: If you're getting something for free, you are the product.
from Car and Driver Blog http://ift.tt/nSHy27
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