A few weeks ago, a news story, almost whispered in the media, should have set off all the alarms: a technical fault in a software update exposed the data of 800,000 Volkswagen electric cars. For an undetermined period of time, the GPS information of these vehicles, revealing their movements, stops and routes, was left vulnerable. In addition, data on the battery status and other parameters were collected. A few days later, the company issued a reassuring statement: the problem had been solved, there is nothing to worry about. Really?
Beyond the technical fault, which is serious in itself, this news uncovers a much deeper concern: the growing intrusion of car manufacturers into the private lives of their customers. Volkswagen, in this case, collected data on geolocation, driving habits and vehicle status without the explicit consent of the owners.
The usual argument, that service is better, sounds like an empty excuse in the face of the magnitude of the violation of privacy. Is it really necessary to monitor every kilometre travelled, every stop made, in order to optimise the performance of a vehicle?
Modern cars, especially electric ones, are real computers on wheels, packed with sensors and connectivity devices. These technologies, while offering advantages in terms of safety and efficiency, also become powerful surveillance tools.
Manufacturers accumulate huge amounts of data about our movements, our habits and our preferences, information that can be used for commercial purposes, or even transferred to third parties. Where are the limits? Who protects us from this constant spying?
The answer is bleak: no one. Governments, in their eagerness to promote technological innovation, have neglected to protect citizens' privacy. Current legislation is not up to the challenge posed by connected cars. There are no effective mechanisms to control access to and use of the data collected by manufacturers. We find ourselves in a legal vacuum, at the mercy of the opaque practices of corporations.
The Volkswagen data leak, while worrying in itself, is just the tip of the iceberg. It is a symptom of a much larger problem: the normalization of mass surveillance in the digital age. We have accepted, almost without realizing it, that our lives are monitored at every step we take. From social media to smart devices, we are surrounded by technologies that collect information about us. And now, our cars too.
Is this the future we want? A future where every trip, every stop, every route is recorded and stored on a corporation's servers? A future where our privacy is an inaccessible luxury?
It's time to react. We must demand that governments implement regulations that protect our privacy in the era of the connected car. We need laws that set clear limits on the collection and use of data by manufacturers. We need transparency in the practices of these companies, so we know what information they collect, how they use it, and with whom they share it.
We cannot allow technological innovation to become an excuse for mass surveillance. Our rights as citizens must be protected, also inside our vehicles. We cannot continue to drive into an Orwellian future.
It is time to take control of our data, our lives, our future. The alternative is a world where privacy is a distant memory, a relic of an analogue past. And that is too high a price to pay for the convenience of a connected car.
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