Hermes

As I was messing around with my in-car computer, and was looking at my trip information on the display, and the average trip specs. Then I started to wonder whether Lexus would be able to track our driving styles and use that information to deny someone warranty work?

I never drive my car hard, it hardly ever leaves the Eco-mode setting, but all this technology within the car has me wondering whether Lexus can track our driving styles and use that information to their benefit in the future. What do you guys think?

SCSurf

Probably. Unless you're REALLY good at programming and can read and alter the code.

dasbuch

The capability for them to see the info is there, pretty much all new cars have a "black box" (driving data stored in memory). As far as denying warranty work, I suppose that depends on the legal wording of the warranty. I don't think that's something to be concerned with unless someone is abusing the car and expecting to get things fixed for free despite the abuse (in which case they kind of get what they deserve).

A different but related concern might be that the information could be subpoenaed by a court in the event of an accident. Probably a bigger reason to not drive like a bat out of hell than warranty coverage.

dasbuch

I doubt it's a matter of programming skill, the data in an Event Data Recorder (EDR) is surely highly encrypted. Besides, dicking around with the data would be something similar to altering the odometer and probably worth a prison term in the US at least, because these things are federally regulated (DOT, NHTSA etc)

Hermes

I knew there are "black box's" of sorts in most cars these days. I think I read somewhere online my manual (for my previous Honda Accord Coupe) that the "black box" primarily records speed and whether or not you wore a seat belt; insurance companies can request this information or the police. But our vehicles have so much technology within them I wonder what other kinds of things they are able to track.

dasbuch

I think there are limits around the mandated requirements of how much data (what to capture and how many seconds of history prior to a collision, etc.) but I'd say its fair to assume that the dealership has access to driving data that far exceeds the mandated requirements. It's in their best interest to do so (and really in the best interest of the consumer) because it can helps them diagnose issues. For denying warranty service I'm not sure it's too much of a problem. Lexus or any other car maker knows their livelihood depends on getting and keeping loyal customers, so I think it would take an extreme case of car abuse before they just decide someone is not the type of customer they want, ever and start denying warranty work on the grounds the car has been driven hard.

I have heard of cases (not necessarily Lexus dealerships, but dealerships nonetheless) of warranty work being denied due to aftermarket use of non-cosmetic mechanical parts, but that's understandable because anything that impacts the mechanical operation of the car could potentially cause misreading/inaccurate event recording in the onboard diagnostic equipment and thus a higher cost for them to service as they have to deal with specific edge cases

moose66

Here's a good read on auto black boxes from a few years ago. Just like anything else electronic, this has probably all changed by now. Technology changes overnight it seems. What's new today is very dated tomorrow.

http://www.edmunds.com/car-technolog...rash-data.html