Do the navigation systems in new cars keep track of where we go?

[KalEl1970]

I haven't bought a new car in a while. With the fancy navigation systems most of them now have, I'm wondering if a suspicious spouse could press a few buttons to figure out where the vehicle has been. Or even worse, track it remotely in real time.

You know, in case any of us sometimes visit places we should not.

 

[lundunguy]

Yes she can if your car has an app on phone which most of the new models have.

 

[GeeBee]

Yes they do. There is a handy tab for “recent trips” that will show you exactly where the car has been. Great for some uses, deadly for the married guy trying to be careful.

The only precaution that might help is to get the APP, and create an account with the manufacturer and your vehicle. Then you can be sure that no one else can do the same to your car without your knowledge.

After you’ve done that and you’re sure the password is secure, log out of the APP and the website on a laptop etc.. and delete the APP. You won’t have all the convenience and features that the APP’s provide, but you’ll at lest know that no one else does either.

Having said that if you’ve raised any suspicions at all, all the missus has to do is pop an air tag in the car somewhere and she’ll know all.

 

[Jenesis]

The recent trips are for trips you have entered into the system though, no?

If I don’t enter an address into the system then it won’t show up, will it?

 

[corrie fan]

This dude was at his side piece's house when his girl's car got repoed.

 

[GeeBee]

The recent trips are for trips you have entered into the system though, no?

If I don’t enter an address into the system then it won’t show up, will it?

That's the creepy thing. It’s not even part of the navigation system, it just tracks wherever you go and shows it under a “recent trips” section of the app, regardless of whether you’ve searched or even had the map/nav when you drove.

I found this out when I started using the app for something else and scrolled down. Holy shit, there were all the places I’d been since I downloaded the APP. And I can’t find out anywhere on the manufacturers website or app how to turn it off. Like I said, freaking creepy.

 

[KalEl1970]

WAZE lets you delete a drive, and then it’s like it never happened. I’d be fine with that option, to be used only when needed.

 

[GeeBee]

WAZE lets you delete a drive, and then it’s like it never happened. I’d be fine with that option, to be used only when needed.

Agreed, that's what I thought I was using. but the car/app’s own system is doing the tracking not anything like Waze, google maps or the car’s own nav system. It's the same tech in the app that lets you find where your car is parked, or allows you to start it, lock the doors, or see if your kid is joy riding with his buddies.

BTW I’m talking about my experience with Nissan here, but I wouldn’t be surprised if the other MFG’s have the same tracking.

 

[The Options Menu]

The recent trips are for trips you have entered into the system though, no?

If I don’t enter an address into the system then it won’t show up, will it?

The GPS data itself is typically logged. It may be as easy as the vehicle's app to read it, or it may take a diagnostic tool, but rest assured it's being logged (to some internal storage or another). Newer vehicles also have lots of data features so if you're lucky it's just staying on the vehicle.

As was mentioned if your vehicle has an app, install it, register your vehicle, practice good security on your end, and hope the manufacturer does the same.

As far as the air tag thing goes my Samsung phone passively detects air tags, and I'm sure there are other passive tools for that if people are concerned.

Though, at this point, the best thing to do is to simply not raise suspicions (to family or LE). Between your car, phone, social media, and other smart devices trying to maintain excessive privacy is going to be seen as suspicious.

 

[_Melissa]

I haven't bought a new car in a while. With the fancy navigation systems most of them now have, I'm wondering if a suspicious spouse could press a few buttons to figure out where the vehicle has been. Or even worse, track it remotely in real time.

You know, in case any of us sometimes visit places we should not.

I feel like nearly everything keeps track of where we’re going these days!!

 

[MrPrezident]

I have not used WAZE. Is it possible to program WAZE to take me on a route that will take me around Hamilton to avoid the high bridges?

 

[The Options Menu]

I have not used WAZE. Is it possible to program WAZE to take me on a route that will take me around Hamilton to avoid the high bridges?

I use Google Maps. Try adding a pin (a stop) at the Time Hortons at Peters Corner, the intersection of Highway 5 and 8. If you turn on Avoid Motorways it will usually thread the needle between Hamilton and the Tri Cities. I use that for a farm country drive between the GTA and Niagara (or points in the rest of the Southern panhandle). Sometimes I like the scenic route.

 

[seanzo]

This is why I only drive old cars without fancy gizmos and doodads. All the crap they put in cars these days is unnecessary fluff and, in the case of GPS, is a gross invasion of privacy

 

[The Options Menu]

@seanzo
If you're driving that old car with a smartphone in your pocket then you're basically in the same place. Besides that, we're getting to the point where you'd just about have to drive a classic car to avoid embedded chips that log.

 

[GeeBee]

@seanzo
If you're driving that old car with a smartphone in your pocket then you're basically in the same place. Besides that, we're getting to the point where you'd just about have to drive a classic car to avoid embedded chips that log.

I agree. We need a burner phone for pooning, I guess now I need a pooning car as well. (kidding, sort of)

At least you can turn off the tracking on the smart phone. It takes some effort in the settings of the phone and apps, but at least it’s possible. With the new car itself it looks like we’re fucked.

 

[highpark]

I dive an old car. I have no intention of ever driving a car that tracks me.

 

[Jubee]

Na, these new cars are not it for me, they're expensive as fuck to fix. Part of the reason car manufacturers do this shit, it's gone beyond simple part replacements, now you have software to add to the mess, along with hardware.
Sure some of the cars look nice, but with it come a lot of issues too.
Want the extra "fluffy" stuff, you're gonna end up paying for it down the line and that's when you don't hear much about it.
Random example.
Hyundai Palisade front LED light replacement. $750 lol

Amazon.ca

Get an older car, replace the bulb yourself for less than $40-$50.


I like to keep shit simple.

 

[The Options Menu]

I agree. We need a burner phone for pooning, I guess now I need a pooning car as well. (kidding, sort of)

At least you can turn off the tracking on the smart phone. It takes some effort in the settings of the phone and apps, but at least it’s possible. With the new car itself it looks like we’re fucked.

1) A burner phone is intrinsically suspicious to anyone. Yes, some people may have good reasons to use them. Getting the odd bit of trim, if you're reasonable in your pooning, and can handle the privacy settings on your phone, shouldn't require a 'burner' for most people. (To the guys that have SOs I wish you well when they find your 'burner'.) If you aren't famous, in a job with a strong morality clause, or particularly rich then you probability don't need a burner if your tastes and judgement are reasonable, and you can work your phone.

2) Much like your car you should assume your phone's GPS is always logging even if various software switches are set to off. (Which you should do for superficial privacy, if you care.)

Odds are that if it has a powered GPS chip and any form of storage it's logging. You can try to be a luddite, which is suspicious. Or adopt increasingly extreme privacy measures, which is also suspicious. Or you can realize that the best way to hide in a flock of sheep is to be a sheep. Just don't be the oddest or most unruly sheep in the flock to prying eyes. It's a sad state of affairs...

 

[HEYHEY]

If your wife wants to track you you're done for. A simple gps and she will know exactly where the car is.

 

[The Options Menu]

If your wife wants to track you you're done for. A simple gps and she will know exactly where the car is.

As has been said, if you're at the point where your SO wants to track you you're already in trouble. Either quit your suspicious habits for a very long while, or quit your SO.