Lexus collects and sells user data - no way to stop it.

[RuthieA]

Just purchased a 2024 Lexus. To my surprise, the car collects driving behavior, contacts, texts, destination and duration information, and more. They sell this information. The only way to stop the data collection is to disable connection services... which means No GPS, NO Bluetooth (so you can't use your phone for GPS). This should be illegal. I am sure I agreed in some small print on one of the several pages for the sale, but it is still invasive, and very disturbing. I want Lexus to allow users to opt out of data collection without taking away services I paid for when I bought the car. At the very least, I want Lexus to allow me to stop them from sharing/selling the data. 

[JMSC]

Ruthie,

Have you ever seen the commercials from certain insurance companies that promise a discount in rates if you plug a device into your car?  Well, Lexus is providing the insurance companies the same data, only they are getting the cash instead of you.  How wonderful!

[hziemba]

This behavior by Lexus should be illegal. At the very least, it’s unethical.

I can understand that they need access to your location, to send help, but all they need to know is where you ARE, not where you WERE, or how fast you were going, or how you were driving. They should state in their terms that data they collect will be used for this purpose only, and that position history data will not be collected or retained.

Same is true for map data

if you car is stolen, they should be collecting position data only from the time the car is reported stolen. Again, limit the data collected, and say so.

As to remote control of the car, like starting or parking from the App, can be done without any geolocation information. If your phone is verified to be legitimate, they don’t need to know where it is.  As to the car location, they don’t need that either. If they have the phone number for the car, they don’t need to know where the car is physically located.  The cellular carrier keeps track of that, as they do for ANY phone.

It all comes back to the same thing: if they respect your privacy, they will collect the minimum data consistent with providing the service you are requesting, and deleting it when your request has been satisfied.

i complained to Lexus corporate, and was basically told it was take it or leave it. And there was no avenue to appeal, or even get to talk to someone who would have the authority to make changes to their policy/procedures.

Sounds like they need some “free advertising” on this matter.
SUNSHINE IS VERY DISINFECTING 

 

 

[beatlebob32]

Anybody know what model year this started?  

[hziemba]

From what I’ve seen, it was certainly the case in the 2024 model year.

My previous car, a 2013 GS was pretty much loaded…everything except the ML premium audio. I remember that the options were there to subscribe to the stolen car location, accident notification, and a destination assistant where a live person could help you find a destination and to send the location directly to your navigation system. These were all extra cost subscriptions, which I never signed up for or used.  

The Navigation Package, which I did order, and for which I paid something over $1000, came with a then current map and POI database installed in the car. Every year, an update of the database was made available for purchase at a price of about $250, installed by the dealer. I could buy any of the updates, and it would include all the prior updates, or none of them.  Either way, a full map database was always in the car’s nav system - it NEVER expired!

At some point between 2013 and 2023, the design changed to a cloud based storage of map data, with only the currently needed data in the car. Yes, you always would have the most current data, but you had to download the needed data each time use the system.  Of course, to do that, you would need to have an active, PAID subscription.

No paid subscription, means that the navigation system I paid $$$$ for on my new 2025 RX450h+, is dead weight, and USELESS!  
AT A MINIMUM, THAT IS FRAUD!