There are two Jags in my family fleet, a 2009 XF and a more recently acquired 2012 XJ-L. Both cars have the factory navigation system. In the XF, and I may be wrong about this, it appears that the nav system isn't "engaged" unless I go the nav screen and start inputting data. Or, should I say that the car's location isn't shown while driving, unless the nav system has been called up on the touch screen.


It recently struck me that on the XJ, my location is ALWAYS displayed on the touch screen. In other words, the car is always being tracked, whenever the ignition is turned on. Call me paranoid, but I find this a little unnerving.


I looked through the owner's manual and there is no mention how to turn it off. I e-mailed Jaguar directly, and they confirmed that yes, the nav system is always engaged, has several other electrical systems working through it, therefore it cannot be turned off.


Am I the only one that finds this intrusive? I realize that I'm a new member here, and that might cause suspicion that I'm just a troll or "pot stirrer". I assure you, however, that isn't the case. I'm just looking for further opinions, and figured a Jaguar discussion forum would be the best place to come to.

 

Do you keep your cell phone turned off except when making a phone call? Do you pay cash for everything?


At least an in car nav system isn't reporting your location among other info back to any central location, as is the case of your cell phone, credit/debit card and just about everything else you do and likely take for granted these days.

 

Actually, I don't have a cell phone, and frequently do pay with purchases by cash....




And if you doubt that nav systems aren't tracking your car's location, consider GM's OnStar. I saw a video where a Camaro owner took his fairly new, factory OnStar equipped car to a "track day event". He brushed a retaining barrier with the car, not hard enough to incapacitate the car, but enough to trigger the OnStar signal. The OnStar "operator" kept asking for the car's exact location, by street name, so they could send help, as they assumed a "traffic crash", and their mapping didn't recognize the race track. The driver played hell, trying to explain to the overbearing OnStar agent that he was both off road, and already being assisted by the track personnel.




Now, do you understand my potential concerns?

 

Can't say for yours, but my factory-fit nav displays my car position by reading GPS data. It doesn't transmit my position at all.

 

Jaguar doesn't offer a telematics service like OnStar (GM) or MBrace (Mercedes) so there is no hardware in the car to transmit data anywhere. Cars with OnStar/MBrace transmit data via a built-in cellular modem.

I have to say that I am amazed that there is someone without a cell phone today though :-)

 

BTW, I should also add that if you are that paranoid about being tracked by technology, then you are in the right place. Jaguar is probably one of the *least* technically advanced manufacturers and is still in the relative stone-age when it comes to features.

I should remind you though that by using the internet, everything that you do is being tracked and your location can/is revealed - but that is a whole other discussion in itself... :-)

 

I don't profess in being totally proficient in knowing how nav systems work. Having said that, when I get in my car, hit the ignition, and my touch screen immediately begins to tell me where the car is, I think it's reasonable to think that there's some sort of "give and take" between the car and a satellite somewhere. If not at that exact moment, but if I input a desired destination, there HAS to be some sort of tracking, as the voice commands will tell me to turn, go straight, etc.





I agree, but if I'm at home, as much as it's nobody's business, there's not very much I can do about it....

 

I work in the navigation industry and I can assure you that vehicle navigation systems are not trackable. You'd have to have a GPRS(cell connection) based updating system to be tracked. For GPS based tracking it would take another module. The On-Star systems in GMs is separate and uses different antennas than the GPS integrated with the radio.

 

I trying to stay out of it, but can't. If you still believe in privacy you must believe in Santa...

The moderators in this forum know where you live, your cell company knows where you work and where you go after work (don't worry they will not tell your spouse). If you have a Jag, your jealous friends spot you in the weekends.

Please don't kill the messenger...

 

I understand your point, but consider this....Are you satisfied that there is SO much tracking of yourself, these days? If your answer is "no", then let me ask this....What are you doing about it?

 

I am satisfied that cookies help me find stuff I like, allow me to configure my preferences in web sites, that google search finds news for me when I type "n". The price is the tracking. As long as the value is higher than the cost it is worth it. I bet if given the choice of broadband service for $80.month without tracking or $60/month with tracking, consumers would pick $60...

What am I doing? Making sure what I get in exchange is worth more than the privacy...