Oh what a feeling: New Toyotas will upload data to AWS to help create custom insurance premiums based on driver behaviour
- Reference: 1597723084
- News link: https://www.theregister.co.uk/2020/08/18/aws_toyota_alliance/
- Source link:
Toyota already operates a “Mobility Services Platform” that it says helps it to “develop, deploy, and manage the next generation of data-driven mobility services for driver and passenger safety, security, comfort, and convenience”.
That data comes from a device called the “Data Communication Module” (DCM) that Toyota fits into many models in Japan, the USA and China.
Toyota reckons the data could turn into “new contextual services such as car share, rideshare, full-service lease, and new corporate and consumer services such as proactive vehicle maintenance notifications and driving behavior-based insurance.”
[1]
Toyota's connected car vision. Click to enlarge
The company has touted that vision since at least the year 2016, but precious little evidence of it turning into products is available.
Which may be why Toyota has signed with AWS for not just cloud tech but also professional services.
The two companies say their joint efforts “will help build a foundation for streamlined and secure data sharing throughout the company and accelerate its move toward CASE (Connected, Autonomous/Automated, Shared and Electric) mobility technologies.”
Neither party has specified just which bits of the AWS cloud Toyota will take for a spin but it seems sensible to suggest the auto-maker is going to need lots of storage and analytics capabilities, making AWS S3 and Kinesis likely candidates for a test drive.
Whatever Toyota uses, prepare for privacy ponderings because while cheaper car insurance sounds lovely, having an insurer source driving data from a manufacturer has plenty of potential pitfalls. ®
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[1] https://regmedia.co.uk/2020/08/18/pr_download_toyota_connected_car_ecosystem.jpg
[2] https://whitepapers.theregister.com/
Re: That's settled, then.
Which is a shame, as the cars are pretty decent. Alas, unless this "feature" can be proven to be OFF, I'm out as well.
Having the insurance on you shoulder for every metre is about the last thing I need.
Re: That's settled, then.
I wonder how fast hackers/tinkerers will go over their Toyota with a fine toothed EMF-detecting comb to locate anything & everything that tries to broadcast an RF signal of any kind (especially a cellular connection) & promptly deactivates said bits with a tiny Faraday cage to prevent it from doing any such thing?
Completely removing the bit might impact other systems so leaving it in place may be best, but preventing it from ever getting a signal out might be the next best way to ensure your car can't blab all your data to the mothership.
If it turns out that the only thing doing the broadcasting is that DCM, then perhaps wrapping it in a Faraday cage will suffice to declaw? defang? disrupt? the cars ability to play snooper.
Of course, if you own a car with "OnStar" then you'll need to disable that as well since it's doing the same job for the other brand...
That's settled, then.
I will never again purchase, nor will I ever recommend, a Toyota. In fact, I will actively recommend that people shun them.
How fucked up is it that someone, somewhere, thinks that having your own car spy on you is a good idea?
To answer my own question, that's very, very fucked up.