while we do need competition and variety on the market, electronics with Chinese origin raise serious concerns though. given China’s present political trajectory it’s not too far fetched to assume that vehicles will have remote backdoors that could be used for remote control of a vehicle. So unless those are “dumb” vehicles (which is highly unlikely) this is unlikely to be a good thing in a long run
This Ford patent made me wonder. After looking it up, Ford stated that this technology would be for Ford police cars, not regular Ford cars.
UPDATE 7/31/2024 @ 3:30p ET: After publication, Ford reached out with a statement to clarify that the idea “is specific for application in law enforcement vehicles, such as the Ford Police Interceptor, and it’s a system that would automate a capability that law enforcement already have in use today, except this would utilize the built-in system and sensors in the vehicle. This patent does not state that driving data from customers’ vehicles would be shared with law enforcement, which is what some media have incorrectly reported. And note, patent applications are intended to protect new ideas but aren’t necessarily an indication of new business or product plans.”
There’s a difference between made by and controlled by though. Apple is not a Chinese company, although the phones are made there, they’re not beholden to do what china wants. China can’t say “turn off every iPhone in North America” and have it happen.
With a Chinese owned and operated company that can absolutely happen. If they don’t do what the government wants they or their families are put in jail or killed. “Shut off every car in Canada and the US”!
Click.
You get to walk. Or maybe the order is to overload and blow up the battery packs.
Even the Chinese government is wary of US based manufactures having their cars near sensitive areas because of all the cameras. Tesla had to ensure that all the data was stored in and didn’t leave a facility based in China before they allowed the cars to be in those areas.
It’s a legit problem for every country. It’s possible other countries might require the same.
The conversation was concerns about what China can do to the cars, but China is also concerned about what other manufactures can do with their cars. The concern goes both ways, it’s not just the west afraid of china. The concern about these highly connected cars is legitimate for everyone on both sides.
The threat that chinese EVs pose to north american consumers has been vastly overblown by paranoid US nationalists and protectionist automakers who don’t fancy the competition. I’m not saying the chinese government is amazing no notes, just that this is a nothing issue.
I wish that cars in general had fewer reliance on electronic systems though, and some non-critical modules could be optionally disabled by the owner without rendering the car inoperable…
Safety requirements outright demand these things nowadays, and these safety things do save lives, of the occupants, pedestrians, and the other vehicles involved in the crash.
@droopy4096 In addition to this, it’s well-reported now that several American automakers share vehicle acceleration data with insurance companies, so drivers are being monitored without their awareness and could face a hike in insurance fees if they’re detected as being a little too reckless in the passive acceleration data monitoring. I haven’t heard of any non-American automakers doing this. And while the consequences of the “Chinese government shutting down all EVs in NA via some electronic backdoor” are greater than this, one is speculation about the future and the other’s current fact
while we do need competition and variety on the market, electronics with Chinese origin raise serious concerns though. given China’s present political trajectory it’s not too far fetched to assume that vehicles will have remote backdoors that could be used for remote control of a vehicle. So unless those are “dumb” vehicles (which is highly unlikely) this is unlikely to be a good thing in a long run
Apple phones are made in China as are most laptops, servers and pretty much most electronics we use.
I just read that Ford is trying to patent a technology to report speeding directly to the police.
I don’t like the Chinese Government but it’s not like all North American companies are altruistic.
This Ford patent made me wonder. After looking it up, Ford stated that this technology would be for Ford police cars, not regular Ford cars.
Source: https://www.thedrive.com/news/ford-researching-tech-that-snitches-on-speeders-to-the-police
Thanks for that. Doesn’t sound too bad when they put it this way.
There’s a difference between made by and controlled by though. Apple is not a Chinese company, although the phones are made there, they’re not beholden to do what china wants. China can’t say “turn off every iPhone in North America” and have it happen.
With a Chinese owned and operated company that can absolutely happen. If they don’t do what the government wants they or their families are put in jail or killed. “Shut off every car in Canada and the US”!
Click.
You get to walk. Or maybe the order is to overload and blow up the battery packs.
Even the Chinese government is wary of US based manufactures having their cars near sensitive areas because of all the cameras. Tesla had to ensure that all the data was stored in and didn’t leave a facility based in China before they allowed the cars to be in those areas.
It’s a legit problem for every country. It’s possible other countries might require the same.
Hun? What are you talking about sensitive areas? Where did that come from?
The conversation was concerns about what China can do to the cars, but China is also concerned about what other manufactures can do with their cars. The concern goes both ways, it’s not just the west afraid of china. The concern about these highly connected cars is legitimate for everyone on both sides.
https://www.reuters.com/world/china/tesla-cars-barred-some-china-government-compounds-sources-2021-05-21/
I believe now that Tesla stores the data in China that some of that has been relaxed.
The threat that chinese EVs pose to north american consumers has been vastly overblown by paranoid US nationalists and protectionist automakers who don’t fancy the competition. I’m not saying the chinese government is amazing no notes, just that this is a nothing issue.
I wish that cars in general had fewer reliance on electronic systems though, and some non-critical modules could be optionally disabled by the owner without rendering the car inoperable…
The boat has sailed on that one unfortunately.
Safety requirements outright demand these things nowadays, and these safety things do save lives, of the occupants, pedestrians, and the other vehicles involved in the crash.
I’m not talking about disabling safety systems though.
The safety systems require the cars to be what you don’t want and the requirements just keep increasing.
@droopy4096 In addition to this, it’s well-reported now that several American automakers share vehicle acceleration data with insurance companies, so drivers are being monitored without their awareness and could face a hike in insurance fees if they’re detected as being a little too reckless in the passive acceleration data monitoring. I haven’t heard of any non-American automakers doing this. And while the consequences of the “Chinese government shutting down all EVs in NA via some electronic backdoor” are greater than this, one is speculation about the future and the other’s current fact
It will probably just listen to us and try to sell us stuff, just like the many of the others.