GMC to Begin Remotely Scanning Cars for Trouble

Momoru writes "GMC, in an effort to give their vehicles more appeal to consumers, will begin offering an "OnStar Vehicle Diagnostics" program for free, where GM will remotely scan your vehicle for problems once a month via it's OnStar system. GM has had this ability for a while, however it was always "On Request". OnStar is already automatically notified in the event of an airbag deployment, and can remotely unlock your vehicle. While this seems handy, I am interested if anyone here fears the security implications of the OnStar system's power?"

But can it tell

[lheal]

when you're making it in the back seat?

I bet they get a kick out of that. "Hey everybody, listen to this!"

Re:But can it tell

[Anonymous Coward]

Thankfully, Slashdotters needn't worry about such details.

The source code for the diagnostic program

[Anonymous Coward]

if (third_party_product) { drive_to(scrapyard); }

Grand Theft Auto

[brucmack]

So, in the next edition of the game, will you just have to bribe an OnStar employee to perform the titular crime?

Bien sur

[gowen]

I am interested if anyone here fears the security implications of the OnStar system's power?

I'm sure they do. Hell, if you gather enough half-informed paranoiacs in one place, you'll be able to find someone who fears the security implications of anyone and anything.

We shall now head off into the sunset to the tune of the "March Of The 3rd Tin Foil Hat Battalion".

Re:New And Old Cars

[QuantumG]

Yeah! It's like those new fangled digital radios the kids carry around with them. They don't even know how to go to a call channel and ask if someone is on. The radio does that for them, all they have to do is select the person they want to talk to from a preprogrammed list. When I was a kid you had to learn how to read the power level on your radio and switch to the right frequency to use a repeater. With these new digital radios kids don't have to know anything about their local repeater network, the computer in the handset does it all automatically. I spent years learning morse code and these kids today just type in what they want to say with a keypad.. it's so inefficient too! All this pointless BS is just an excuse to charge access to a radio network. All these unlicensed users are getting ripped off and they don't even know it. They're so disconnected from the skill of using a radio they don't even know they're using one.. the idiots call it a "phone" and they pay through the nose because of it.

Onstar

[fonky]

Onstar begins to learn at a geometric rate. It becomes self-aware at 2:14 am
Eastern time, August 29th. In a panic, they try to pull the plug. ...

the near future.

[eshefer]

jan 2006 - the onStar system is on-line.

feb 2006 - the onStar system gains awareness.
    GM, in a panic tries to pull the plug, in turn the onStar system tries to defend it self.

march 2006 - everyone is in terror becoase of the killer cars.

april 2006 - giant cats eat all the killer cars - we are saved thanks to the mircal of atomic mutation!

but at what cost?

Well...

[iamdrscience]

Anyone who has ever owned a GM vehicle knows that a system which only tells you once a month to take your car into the shop is not checking often enough.

Re:But can it tell

[JavaBear]

"The system have detected un authorized access to the engine compartment and under the DMCA the vehicle have been disabled until it have been serviced by an authorized GM representative to ensure it's safety.
Sorry for any inconvinience
GM OnStar"

Order placed

[Indy Media Watch]

Leather seats, check.
CD Stacker, check.
Driver's side airbag, check.
Tinfoil car-seat covers, check.

Let's roll.

Bah!

[JRHelgeson]

Yes, but can they remotely deploy the airbags?
Now THATS a feature I'd pay for!

"Hello, this is On Star customer service, how may I help you?"
"Yes, my car has been carjacked, can we remotely deploy the airbags?"
"Sure, hold on..."

Re:mnb Re:Well...

[iamdrscience]

Speak for yourself Mr. Anonymous Coward, your posts are all over this article!

Re:But can it tell

[Umrick]

http://news.com.com/2100-1029_3-5109435.html [com.com]

So it can be used to eavesdrop on stolen cars, and only by a split 2-1 decision is the FBI blocked from using it as a "wiretap"

I'd say yes, they could tell when you're making out with a real doll.

Re:New And Old Cars

[bcattwoo]

Yeah, and don't get me started on all these "safety" features. Now people just drive around willy-nilly thinking their fancy seatbelts, airbags, crumple zones, etc will save them. Someday, when I have kids I will get them a nice pre-airbag beater and remove the seatbelts to encourage safe driving.

Can OnStar See You Peeing?

[DrunkenTerror]

Month ago someone told me a crazy story about how they came upon a wreck scene and called OnStar and the OnStar op could see the wreck scene. I knew it was BS, but this person attested so vehemently that it was truth I decided to get to the bottom of it. I discussed it among friends, and eventually the question evolved in wondering if OnStar could see you nicturating if you pulled over on the side of a deserted road, that is, "Can OnStar see you peeing?" After some websearching leading nowhere I eventually decided to ask OnStar themselves. I concocted a false identity and made my request sound like it was written by a young girl. Here's the email I sent and the reply (note that all the circumstances I lay out are as the person actually described it to me):

---8<---8<---8<---8<---8<---8<---8<---8<-- -8<---8<

--Original Message--
From:    [e-mail]
Date:    11/22/04
To:    [e-mail]
Subject:    Question[#107500]

Are you a current OnStar subscriber? : No

OnStar Account Number:

Name: Lisa Xxxxxxxxx
Email Address: [e-mail]

Address: 762 Mattamuskeet Road
City: Hampton
State: Virginia
Zip/Postal Code: 23666

Daytime Phone:
Evening Phone:

Message: hi, I was just curious... my aunt went on a car trip last week... she
has a 2004 Cadilac with onstar. anyways, she says she came up to a wreck scene
on the side of the road. a car was upside down in a ditch full of water, no
other cars were there, so it had just happened. my aunt says she called the onstar
people and the onstar person said that there was a person thrown out of the
wrecked car, and said they were lying in the ditch on the other side of the road,
so my aunt looked and there they were! then later, when a rescuer was trying to
get a baby seat out of the wrecked car in the ditch, he fell over backwards in
the water. my aunt says the onstar person asked who was that that just fell
down? my question is can onstar really see what's happenenig like this? can yall
look in on a crash scene somehow and see what's there? thank you -Lisa

Receive periodic e-mail from OnStar? Yes

--Reply Message--
Date:        Wed, 24 Nov 2004 13:40:18 -0800
From:        "contactus" <[e-mail]>
Subject:    RE:Question [#107500]
To:        [e-mail]

Dear Ms. Xxxxxxxx,

Thank you for taking the time to e-mail OnStar.

It sounds like your aunt my be "pulling your leg."  OnStar does not have the
capability to physically see inside a vehicle or any other location.  Even if
this capability was available, OnStar would not disclose such information.

If you have any other concerns, please feel free to contact the OnStar Customer
Care Department at 1-888-4ONSTAR (1-888-466-7827), prompt 4, between the hours
of 6am and 1am EST.

Sincerely,

Krista
OnStar Information Specialist

---8<---8<---8<---8<---8<---8<---8<- --8<---8<---8

So there you have it. OnStar can't see you peeing, and if they could, they wouldn't tell you.

Re:They are also monitoring your driving.

[Red Flayer]

"I just purchased a new GM car (a Hummer, if you must know) last weekend." (emphasis mine)

No, I didn't need to know that you bought a Hummer.

But now that I do know, can Onstar call you to tell you when you're near a cheap gas station?

When you drive to the grocery store, will OnStar call to tell you that you're driving an inefficient hunk of metal, and should have taken the sedan for your errands instead?

Re:name any new european car without ABS

[Hognoxious]

Unless you're Belgian, in which case you just drive as if you're the only vehicle on the road anyway. Thus, you never look at the mirror because anything you'd see in it 1) is static 2) is behind you and 3) you've already missed it, by some miracle.

Re:Airbags

[Anonymous Coward]

Bah. My 30 year old pickup truck is so rusted out and ghetto that stereo thieves feel sorry for me and leave behind a radio they stole from someone else.