Hello people, my family recently bought a Renault 5 e-tech. The car itself is great, but there are some aspects that creep me out, especially the driver-facing camera. We didn’t actually know that such a camera existed before we bought the car, it was only mentioned as the car was given to us.

The cameras official purpose is to see, if you are tired and paying attention to the road, by some “AI magic”, I suppose. You can also let it scan your face, so that you automatically get logged into your profile.

I personally think, that that is kinda creepy, especially as there is no visual indication if the camera is currently recording and no official way to disable the camera hardware-wise. When it is being coverd, the car immediately complains about it.

When talking to friends or family about it, I got one of two reactions: equal concern, or “nice feature actually”, “what about the camera on your laptop?”, “you are way too paranoid”, “I have noting to hide; it is only me driving being recorded”.

I have also seen such cameras in other cars, BYD for example.

What do you think, is this creepy or am I too paranoid? Does anyone know where the actual data is processed, on device or on some cloud server? Do you have any experience with such cameras? I couldn’t really find any information about it on the internet.

  • endless_nameless@lemmy.world
    16·
    11 hours ago

    I’m cool with just not driving. Fuck you, car manufacturers. If I can’t feasibly live a lifestyle on public transit I’ll buy the oldest shittiest shitbox on Earth and drive it until it fucking explodes.

    • Lantsu@sopuli.xyzEnglish
      3·
      5 hours ago

      I’ll deal and keep fixing my 2001 lil Japanese car until it really gives up. I might even get a whole “new” motor in. If after all that it’s imposible to buy another old, pre-2000 car, I won’t bother. Fuck them. The lights are too bright and unsafe, the screens are unsafe and now these cameras and all? Ew. If you can’t fix it yourself in your garage with basic tools and some beer, you don’t own the thing.

      • bridgeenjoyer@sh.itjust.works
        2·
        31 minutes ago

        I’m with you. Keep these cars alive !!

        I need to get in my welding. Most of the time its just rust killing these cars, mechanically they go forever.

      • quips@slrpnk.net
        15·
        4 hours ago

        Then you are significantly sacrificing your safety. Please get a car made at least after 2013, preferably 2016, if you value your life.

        • bridgeenjoyer@sh.itjust.works
          2·
          28 minutes ago

          Its the bro dozers that endanger us, not the 01 civics. Ban large trucks or require special licensing for any vehicle over 3500 lbs to drive. Almost No one needs a truck for daily use. 95% if people could did a brz or miata and be completely fine. If theres kids, a small 4 runner or a wagon would suffice. If theyre farmers, then they can use trucks only for towing or hauling. Limited mileage per year otherwise.

          Also I sound like a European here. I’m not. And I own a truck. I only use it for work and towing.

          • quips@slrpnk.net
            1·
            2 hours ago

            2012 was the first year the IIHS introduced the small overlap test, which only a handful of cars passed, and took most manufacturers a few years to get good ratings for

        • Lantsu@sopuli.xyzEnglish
          3·
          4 hours ago

          Trust me, the level of elder care in my country, that’s the least of my worries. I also don’t want to burn into a crisp inside an electric car that won’t open it’s doors once it sets on fire.

          • quips@slrpnk.net
            13·
            4 hours ago

            Do you have people who count on you? Who love you? Whose lives would be changed were you gone? If so, consider them when you consider your personal safety.

            I wasn’t talking about electric cars, just any car made after 2013-2016 ish

            • youmaynotknow@lemmy.zip
              4·
              3 hours ago

              You keep saying that. We’d like to know what are the factors that lead to thinking that anything pre-2013 is not safe.

            • magic_smoke@lemmy.blahaj.zoneEnglish
              1·
              2 hours ago

              What specifically would a newer car have my 9th gen civic wouldn’t?

              Two things I know of that mean anything are collision detection/prevention and blindspot sensors.

              The ladder of those things can be added aftermarket.

            • Lantsu@sopuli.xyz
              2·
              4 hours ago

              Yes, I got people. But we all agree that we get the time we get and dying with your boots on is a whole lotta better than suffering slowly for years.