Monday, November 10, 2014

Ya think the poleese would like these on EVERY car?-----Subprime lenders can now disable your car while you’re driving on the freeway

Subprime lenders can now disable your car while you’re driving on the freeway - Salon.com:
"A frightening new report reveals that as many as 2 million cars are now outfitted with GPS-based kill switches"
Imagine this scenario:
You’re on an important trip miles from home and stopped in traffic, but before you can continue on your way, your car shuts down.
You’ve got enough gas in the tank and no mechanical problems.
But you’re stranded far from home because you’re a few days late on your car payment and the lender won’t let you drive until the debt is paid.
If this sounds like part of a dystopian future in which repo men are now cyborgs, it’s not.
It’s happening today and becoming a big part of the new automotive landscape.
Car dealers and automotive lenders are targeting those with poor credit by installing GPS-based kill switches, or starter-interrupt devices, on the cars that they sell.
The New York Times recently reported that about 2 million cars are now outfitted with such kill switches in the U.S., which is about one-quarter of subprime car loans, and creditors are not shy when it comes to remotely disabling cars whose owners are behind on their payments:

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