Proposal for Solution to Google/Alexa Problem

[Jimrpa]

Ok, I know there are a lot of people who are leery about the Ford agreement with Google and/or integration with Alexa. I think I’ve come up with a solution.

The Ford T&Cs should state that Ford will not provide, or allow to be provided, any personally identifiable information, to 3rd parties, except as required and authorized on a per-transaction basis, for services directly provisioned through Ford, such as periodic payments to charging services. Additionally, Ford will not provide any non-user identifiable information, such as a vehicle location, not tied to a user, to a third party, that could be fused with other data to associate that information with a specific vehicle or person.

Obviously, a lawyer should clean it up, but basically, google and Alexa can give Ford information, and Ford promises not to give them my information.

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[solarmoo900]

Perhaps as someone who loves giving google all my data, isn't this a bit premature of a panic? This will start in 2023 (2 years from now) meaning it probably won't roll out to cars for another year and a half or so

 

[Jimrpa]

Perhaps as someone who loves giving google all my data, isn't this a bit premature of a panic? This will start in 2023 (2 years from now) meaning it probably won't roll out to cars for another year and a half or so

I'm the guy who removed his nest thermostat and replaced it with an ecobee after Google bought nest ?

 

[AndyS_OSU]

I'm the guy who removed his nest thermostat and replaced it with an ecobee after Google bought nest ?

Same

 

[SnBGC]

Google sends me an e-mail every month showing me where I have been. I felt a little violated....then a little ashamed....then a little depressed that my phone cares more about me than my wife does.

 

[GoGoGadgetMachE]

Ok, I know there are a lot of people who are leery about the Ford agreement with Google and/or integration with Alexa. I think I’ve come up with a solution.

The Ford T&Cs should state that Ford will not provide, or allow to be provided, any personally identifiable information, to 3rd parties, except as required and authorized on a per-transaction basis, for services directly provisioned through Ford, such as periodic payments to charging services. Additionally, Ford will not provide any non-user identifiable information, such as a vehicle location, not tied to a user, to a third party, that could be fused with other data to associate that information with a specific vehicle or person.

Obviously, a lawyer should clean it up, but basically, google and Alexa can give Ford information, and Ford promises not to give them my information.

I'm positive I saw some public language around "Ford owns the data and Google data sharing is opt-in" although I can't seem to find it now.

It's all moot because to be of any use to you things like Google Maps will be sending all the data to Google it normally does including direct personally identifiable location information. It's impossible for it to work otherwise. So it's not really "Ford giving Google my data" it's "Google giving Google my data."

It's literally the whole reason Android exists, Chrome exists, Chromebook exists... every single Google product - every last one except what you personally directly pay for like GCP and Google for Work or whatever they call it now - exists ultimately to send your data to their advertising side.

My hope is I'll be able to get away with making a unique Google account just for the car. I don't expect to ever enable Android Auto on my phone, and today I don't even enable "enhanced location services" on my phone, so I'm hoping that will be at least a bit of a wall. At least it will help me accept it more.

 

[jhalkias]

I'm the guy who removed his nest thermostat and replaced it with an ecobee after Google bought nest ?

? Same . . . and well, Google also sent out a firmware update at about the same time that basically bricked the Nest in my house. They even sent out a "Nest Certified" contractor who could not fix it. Ecobee has been great.

 

[Jimrpa]

I'm positive I saw some public language around "Ford owns the data and Google data sharing is opt-in" although I can't seem to find it now.

It's all moot because to be of any use to you things like Google Maps will be sending all the data to Google it normally does including direct personally identifiable location information. It's impossible for it to work otherwise. So it's not really "Ford giving Google my data" it's "Google giving Google my data."

It's literally the whole reason Android exists, Chrome exists, Chromebook exists... every single Google product - every last one except what you personally directly pay for like GCP and Google for Work or whatever they call it now - exists ultimately to send your data to their advertising side.

My hope is I'll be able to get away with making a unique Google account just for the car. I don't expect to ever enable Android Auto on my phone, and today I don't even enable "enhanced location services" on my phone, so I'm hoping that will be at least a bit of a wall. At least it will help me accept it more.

I’m pretty sure they’ve gotten very good at data mining and data fusion. I’m not sure creating a “throwaway account” for the car would really work. I’ll bet they’d be able to quickly associate the account and car with you.

 

[WadeMachE]

In an NBC News article (https://www.nbcnews.com/business/au...nectivity-ownership-n1256368?icid=recommended) it states that Google will not have access to Ford data, "But while Google collects a significant amount of user data it then monetizes through smartphones and computers, David McClelland, Ford vice president of strategy and partnerships stressed 'Google (will) not have access to Ford data in the Google cloud.'"

 

[RonTCat]

Ok, I know there are a lot of people who are leery about the Ford agreement with Google and/or integration with Alexa. I think I’ve come up with a solution.

You think you are leery... 10x within Ford.

 

[Jimrpa]

You think you are leery... 10x within Ford.

Thanks! That makes me feel a bit better!

I know a lot of people must think I wander around wearing a tinfoil hat and live in a cabin in the woods "off the grid" or some silly nonsense. Couldn't be farther from the truth. I'm well aware that all my personal information is already spread far and wide across the inter tubes. I'd just rather not be a happy, willing participant in Google and Amazon's monetization of "me". And I'd like to maintain the myth of "privacy" ?

 

[RonTCat]

Thanks! That makes me feel a bit better!

I know a lot of people must think I wander around wearing a tinfoil hat and live in a cabin in the woods "off the grid" or some silly nonsense. Couldn't be farther from the truth. I'm well aware that all my personal information is already spread far and wide across the inter tubes. I'd just rather not be a happy, willing participant in Google and Amazon's monetization of "me". And I'd like to maintain the myth of "privacy" ?

It is why Apple and Google can't find partners to build cars for them. No one wants to give them access to the data a car generates, or become the next Foxconn.

 

[Jimrpa]

It is why Apple and Google can't find partners to build cars for them. No one wants to give them access to the data a car generates, or become the next Foxconn.

Interesting. I would have thought that a very premium brand would be willing to cut a deal with Apple as long as their brand was the prominent one - something like BMW 5 series with Apple carOS. Keep it clear in the consumer’s mind that they’re still buying a BMW - it just has some added Apple goodness inside, just like it has a Harmon Kardon sound system.

 

[AndyS_OSU]

It is why Apple and Google can't find partners to build cars for them. No one wants to give them access to the data a car generates, or become the next Foxconn.

There is also a big difference in how that data is used between those two companies. Both employ your data to make integrations, suggestions, interactions, etc. more seamless and useful. The difference is Apple’s is done on device and doesn’t leave that device unless it’s end to end encrypted. Google sends most of your data to the cloud where it is sold to advertisers, etc.

 

[spp]

I work for Stellantis and we have a stripped down version of Android Automotive as the OS on our new R1 Radios (10.1" in the Pacifica and other models). Here's ours T&Cs for connected services as an example of what you may see with Ford: https://www.driveuconnect.com/connectedservices/privacy.html

We don't send data to Google at this time unless you are using Google Specific services (and this is my area) OR we are triaging a very specific problem and even then we'll try to replicate the problem with our test vehicles internally to shield customer data before we escalate to Google.

As far as Alexa, Alexa asks for integration with various things to allow different things to work. You have to explicitly allow access to those things like location, contacts, music, etc. Here's the integration guide we have to follow in order to provide those services: https://developer.amazon.com/en-US/docs/alexa/alexa-auto/about-this-guide.html

Our own luddites here as well as the lawyers ensured when permissions are revoked, all data connections are severed and any remaining data is deleted.

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