Holy crap! I never even considered this, but it’s entirely possible for a lien holder to be given access to a self-driving car’s software for repossession.
Generally once there is a proper lien put on a car, a tracking device will be installed regardless. But even if there isn’t?
That onstar button that you accidentally push once a year? That is a tracking device. Hell, many of the OTA systems used to update the infotainment system that you try to ignore in favor of android/apple auto ALSO provide tracking information.
So then it is just the matter of locking your car remotely and sending someone out or locking your car remotely and then having the car drive back to the dealer. Functionally it is a distinction without difference.
A lot of people attempt to get around repossessions by keeping it in their garage where you can’t get to it. Imagine now a car that has homelink automatically opening the garage door and backing itself out on to the driveway or street to be picked up.
Or… just “imagine” the company calling the cops to have them order you to open your garage door. Or calling whatever company you advertise on said door. And so forth.
Hell, if we are at the point where you hooking your car into your smart home is sufficient, they already have no legal right to do that and can just use a crowbar to pop your garage and rely on their lawyers to prevent you from meaningfully suing.
This is all a “solved” problem. Keeping your garage door closed to avoid a repossession has never and will never be effective. All it means is that the company takes a bit longer to completely ruin your life before they take it back anyway.
Cops can’t do that in general. Defaulting on a loan is a civil matter, i.e failing to meet conditions of a contract, not you breaking a law.
Cops can enforce a judges verdict however, so if you have been sued and lost, then they may be able to compel further action. Generally that’s way more work then a repo company wants to do for each car.
I think it was Ford that patented the tech to do it. Hence it being the subject of the comic. They already have the idea. Good thing their self driving is only approved on certain highways.
Holy crap! I never even considered this, but it’s entirely possible for a lien holder to be given access to a self-driving car’s software for repossession.
Maybe we shouldn’t be giving them any ideas.
It functionally makes no difference.
Generally once there is a proper lien put on a car, a tracking device will be installed regardless. But even if there isn’t?
That onstar button that you accidentally push once a year? That is a tracking device. Hell, many of the OTA systems used to update the infotainment system that you try to ignore in favor of android/apple auto ALSO provide tracking information.
So then it is just the matter of locking your car remotely and sending someone out or locking your car remotely and then having the car drive back to the dealer. Functionally it is a distinction without difference.
A lot of people attempt to get around repossessions by keeping it in their garage where you can’t get to it. Imagine now a car that has homelink automatically opening the garage door and backing itself out on to the driveway or street to be picked up.
Or… just “imagine” the company calling the cops to have them order you to open your garage door. Or calling whatever company you advertise on said door. And so forth.
Hell, if we are at the point where you hooking your car into your smart home is sufficient, they already have no legal right to do that and can just use a crowbar to pop your garage and rely on their lawyers to prevent you from meaningfully suing.
This is all a “solved” problem. Keeping your garage door closed to avoid a repossession has never and will never be effective. All it means is that the company takes a bit longer to completely ruin your life before they take it back anyway.
Cops can’t do that in general. Defaulting on a loan is a civil matter, i.e failing to meet conditions of a contract, not you breaking a law.
Cops can enforce a judges verdict however, so if you have been sued and lost, then they may be able to compel further action. Generally that’s way more work then a repo company wants to do for each car.
I think it was Ford that patented the tech to do it. Hence it being the subject of the comic. They already have the idea. Good thing their self driving is only approved on certain highways.