Whoa BlackBerry: Firm hooks up with AWS on cloud telematics platform for vehicle data

BlackBerry has inked a deal with AWS to develop and sell the IVY intelligent vehicle data platform just months after it largely blamed a revenue drop in its software and services segment on the slowdown in the automotive market. The deal between the Jeff Bezos-led empire and the former smartphone kingpin - which now licenses …

[Woodnag]

Eh?

"This software platform ... without compromising safety, security, or customer privacy."

Wait... so it monitors drivers with compromising customer privacy? Obviously by "customers" they must mean the corporations who buy the data, not the drivers or car owners.

[Dave 126]

Re: Eh?

It might be argued that an individual has already surrendered their expectation of privacy when they choose, under licence, to drive a glass box on public roads.

Or perhaps BB mean that drivers who choose to enter into an agreement with an insurance company to supply said insurer with live data can now do so using this BB system. In which case, their system isn't compromising the driver's privacy, since it is only transmitting data that the customer had agreed to.

BB used to have a pretty good reputation in this regard, back in the phone days.

Let's stay sceptical. Cynicism is counterproductive.

[katrinab]

Re: Eh?

Does the Blackberry of today have anything in common with the Blackberry of the phone days other than the name?

[Michael Wojcik]

Re: Eh?

It might be argued that an individual has already surrendered their expectation of privacy when they choose, under licence, to drive a glass box on public roads.

Expectation of privacy should not be atomic. And under current US law, at least, there's still some expectation of privacy for vehicle operators and passengers. The Fourth Amendment still applies to vehicles; they can't be searched without a warrant, permission, or reasonable cause (which is why the police try so hard to get permission to search when they stop a vehicle not being operated by a wealthy white person).

Or perhaps BB mean that drivers who choose to enter into an agreement with an insurance company to supply said insurer with live data can now do so using this BB system. In which case, their system isn't compromising the driver's privacy, since it is only transmitting data that the customer had agreed to.

Say, do you have a bridge for sale?

BB used to have a pretty good reputation in this regard, back in the phone days when that was profitable.

FTFY.

Let's stay sceptical. Cynicism is counterproductive.

Cynicism is accurate, to a first approximation.

[cd]

Used cars for me

Preferably older than all this crap.

[Michael Wojcik]

Re: Used cars for me

Hell, touchscreens alone are enough to stop me from buying any of the current crop. Intrusive surveillance is just frosting that cake.

My (touchscreen-free, connectivity-free) 2015 Volvo will likely be the last new car I ever purchase.

[Happytodiscuss]

You are being logged now, BlackBerry and AWS automate the digestion and calculation of options

It is a bald faced commercial play. OEMs will communicate data in stages and priorities that are set by the OEMs for digestion, calculation, and to offer advice now or in the form of design in the future. Close to real time, allowing more immediate decision making, personal or not, by the purchaser.

I watched the fireside chat video and it did sound like this platform will offer the increased ability to spy on your teenager. Kind of like OnStar does in combination with tracking devices or the untech savvy teen's phone.

The data from sensors and automotive control domains is being generated and stored now, and has been for awhile. Go for a bug fix and the OEM downloads it. Ask for a copy and you won't get it. Its the property of the OEM. They will say that it is like SAE data at least on this side of the pond, nothing personal.

There is no happy privacy story emerging from automotive and IoT data collection. At least with BlackBerry and QNX, Boris or other miscreants perched on dealership ledges will not get it without a BlackBerry cracking, Amazonian effort.