Your car could put your privacy at risk
Are you thinking of selling or trading in your vehicle? Beware. New cars are like computers on wheels and you need to wipe the data before you get rid of it. Otherwise, your privacy could be at risk.
Start erasing the data the old-fashioned way. Check the trunk and glove box, and look under the seats for any valuables, loose change and paperwork.
“So we used a diaper box, and got all of our stuff out of the car -- got it pseudo-detailed. We got ‘the works’ at a car wash,” said vehicle owner Mike Trapasso.
Before handing over the keys to a new owner, clean out the internal computer too.
“Kind of like a phone, as you use the car, it’s logging data about what features you access and it logs addresses you’ve been to. And now there are even things like Wi-Fi hotspots, where you like to log in and all these different connected features you need to remember to log out of before you sell the car,” explained Alex Knizek, Consumer Reports auto expert.
Make sure to delete Bluetooth connections, remove contacts saved on the car and then do the same thing within your phone. Delete or forget the pairing and the association of the phone and the vehicle.
In addition, do not forget to remove hardware, like your automatic garage door opener so the new driver cannot get into your garage after they find your home address stored in the navigation system, or found on stray paperwork. If you use a built-in system like HomeLink for your garage door, make sure to reset it.
“There’s also telematics services -- which connect you directly to automakers. There usually you can find an SOS or call button on the rearview mirror, or sometimes on the ceiling near the mirror, and those connect you to a live operator. And so you can press this button and they will help you remove the vehicle or remove yourself from the telematics account with the vehicle,” added Knizek.
You should also log out of any installed apps on your phone that let you connect to your car. Depending on the automaker, those apps could store driver data, navigation destinations and driving history.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Doctors ask Liberal government to reconsider capital gains tax change
The Canadian Medical Association is asking the federal government to reconsider its proposed changes to capital gains taxation, arguing it will affect doctors' retirement savings.
Keeping these exotic pets is 'cruel' and 'dangerous,' Canadian animal advocates say
Canadian pet owners are finding companionship beyond dogs and cats. Tigers, alligators, scorpions and tarantulas are among some of the exotic pets they are keeping in private homes, which pose risks to public safety and animal welfare, advocates say.
Prince William and wife Kate thank public for birthday messages for son Louis
Prince William and his wife Kate thanked the public for their messages which had been sent to mark the sixth birthday of their youngest son Louis on Tuesday.
She was the closest she'd ever been to meeting her biological father. Then life dealt her a blow
Anne Marie Cavner was the closest she'd ever been to meeting her biological father, but then life dealt her a blow. From an unexpected loss to a host of new relationships, a DNA test changed her life, and she doesn't regret a thing.
How quietly promised law changes in the 2024 federal budget could impact your day-to-day life
The 2024 federal budget released last week includes numerous big spending promises that have garnered headlines. But, tucked into the 416-page document are also series of smaller items, such as promising to amend the law regarding infant formula and to force banks to label government rebates, that you may have missed.
RCMP uncovers plot to sell drones and equipment to Libya
The RCMP says it has uncovered a ploy to sell Chinese drones and military equipment to Libya illegally.
Which foods have the most plastics? You may be surprised
'How much plastic will you have for dinner, sir? And you, ma'am?' While that may seem like a line from a satirical skit on Saturday Night Live, research is showing it's much too close to reality.
'Catch-and-kill' strategy to be a focus as testimony resumes in Trump hush money case
A veteran tabloid publisher was expected to return to the witness stand Tuesday in Donald Trump's historic hush money trial.
Quebec farmers have been protesting since December. Is anyone listening?
Upset about high interest rates, growing paperwork and heavy regulatory burdens, protesting farmers have become a familiar sight across Quebec since December.