Strange ?

[VFR]

On my last service (main dealer) I checked my dash cam footage when done (to be nosy) and for that time there was no footage so assumed that they had unplugged it for some reason.

Had some tires fitted yesterday at Costco and again no footage for the time it was in their control so again assume the plug was pulled ?

This is a hardwired Nextbase522GW so will only be recording once ignition is on but I guess it would also wake up with being jacked up ETC, so assuming not it would record being driven into & out of the workshop.

Thoughts ?

[Linas.P]

My experience is that - if they see it they will always unplug it. Lexus dealers or any other larger establishment will all do it. 

Why? May be policy to protect staff privacy, not sure to be honest, but will be something to do with liability, risk for brand image etc. Is this legal? Yes it is legal - your car stays on their private premises and to film on private premises you have to get permission from the owner. You are free to film in public, but Lexus dealership or any other workshop are not public spaces, so they have a right to ask you to stop filming (or not give permission), or disconnect your camera within their premises. That it is your car it actually does not matter, by extension they are disconnecting many things from your car by the way of working on it, that is just part of the contract of working on the car. 

[Spacewagon52]

2 minutes ago, Linas.P said:

My experience is that - if they see it they will always unplug it. Lexus dealers or any other larger establishment will all do it. 

Why? May be policy to protect staff privacy, not sure to be honest, but will be something to do with liability, risk for brand image etc. Is this legal? Yes it is legal - your car stays on their private premises and to film on private premises you have to get permission from the owner. You are free to film in public, but Lexus dealership or any other workshop are not public spaces, so they have a right to ask you to stop filming (or not give permission), or disconnect your camera within their premises. That it is your car it actually does not matter, by extension they are disconnecting many things from your car by the way of working on it, that is just part of the contract of working on the car. 

Excellent points made here.

[Mr Vlad]

Mmmmm that's interesting VFR. I have the 322GW with the rear view camera attached (surprised how good the rear is considering its next to the rear view mirror). Mines hard wired and where its plugged into the unit is right up on the screen. What I reckon they do is take the camera off the mount and replace when done.

[VFR]

Well that makes sense (why) but as Vlad has just said they need to mess with the camera somehow to stop it running, but the camera view could easily be altered by doing that without your knowing. 

Why not have a blanking plate that they can quickly & easily fix to the screen to stop any recording. 

When I clean the inside of the screen I remove the camera (its a mag mount type) to make access easier but can on occasion move its viewing focus so always fire up the app after to check it is looking where I prefer.

While I am waffling the “find my car” function on the Lexus app knows where it is, I take it then it must have a sim of some kind to communicate with the app to let it know ?

[Linas.P]

Yes the newer sat-navs with "over-the-air" updates should have some form of sim (wouldn't be surprised if there is simple mini sim stuck somewhere in the back of head unit).

As for how the cameras are disconnected, yes I am sure it could be better done, maybe even put in writing somewhere as disclaimer to not look suspicious like that and be more transparent. What I didn't like last time with Lexus is that they left if disconnected (the cable just dangling behind the rear view mirror), not a major issue considering I know they can and usually do disconnect it, but I was hoping for reconnecting it after they done (just a better customer service). Blanking plate probably would work for video, but sounds could be an issue as well... you know maybe if Lexus Tech will spout profanity after removing their knuckles on stuck brake calliper bolt - I think anyone working on the cars could relate... and despite being natural when hurt the words would not sound great for the customer if they called "old far not replacing their pads for 100k miles". As such disconnecting probably "safest" option. All in all, I don't have much issue with it - I would not leave my car with the shop I don't trust and that is where it ends - I don't need to monitor them if I trust them... and I can appreciate if people prefer to be able to work in privacy and without being filmed and their private conversations with colleagues recorded (which may not be related with work).

That said - it would be nice if Lexus had a little form where before leaving the car you just sign simple contract in plain language which states both rights and responsibilities of each side and not just leaving it to common sense and implied contracts. Example - one of the conditions could be "we do not allow recording on our premises, so any such devices will be disconnected during the service and connected after the service is complete", simple and nobody would have any suspicion or questions after that. 

[NemesisUK]

31 minutes ago, VFR said:

While I am waffling the “find my car” function on the Lexus app knows where it is, I take it then it must have a sim of some kind to communicate with the app to let it know ?

I wondered this also as today I left my phone at home but the trips to and from work have been recorded in the app. I have a wifi hotspot unit fitted but according to the Connected services it doesn't have an active data plan. So I'm guessing there is either an 'always active' SIM elsewhere or the one in the wifi hotspot is connected for these services only (how would it (they) know?

Perversely, even when my phone is with me in the car there are occasions when the same trips trips that don't get recorded! Must be cell coverage drop outs?

[Linas.P]

5 minutes ago, NemesisUK said:

I wondered this also as today I left my phone at home but the trips to and from work have been recorded in the app. I have a wifi hotspot unit fitted but according to the Connected services it doesn't have an active data plan. So I'm guessing there is either an 'always active' SIM elsewhere or the one in the wifi hotspot is connected for these services only (how would it (they) know?

For location you actually don't need sim... the GPS received on car is sufficient and does not need active data plan. I am kind of speculating here, but head unit can simply check location by GPS receiver and save data in memory whilst you driving, at the end of the trip once it connects to either wi-fi or you phone and connect to internet it can update GPS locations with time-stamps to fill in the journey information and that can be done just with GPS receiver and some clever storage with time-stamps.

[NemesisUK]

5 minutes ago, Linas.P said:

For location you actually don't need sim... the GPS received on car is sufficient and does not need active data plan. I am kind of speculating here, but head unit can simply check location by GPS receiver and save data in memory whilst you driving, at the end of the trip once it connects to either wi-fi or you phone and connect to internet it can update GPS locations with time-stamps to fill in the journey information and that can be done just with GPS receiver.

Mmm.. Not sure on this as today's trips are shown in the app but the phone has not been within Bluetooth range of the car and the car wifi option is off? I was assuming it can only connect with the web via my phone but an embedded sim, or the wifi hotspot unit must be active?

[Linas.P]

Not sure - it may as well just have some very slow built in data plan... and to be fair just for timestamps and GPS coordinates it does not need much data.