Lenders Can Now Disable Your Car When You're Driving on the Freeway

[Yappi]

People with poor credit are being sold cars 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.

Read more:
http://www.alternet.org/subprime-lending-car-buyers-fueling-bubble

 

[Sam Fischer]

No problem with it here. But I would think it will be illegal to shut if off while it is in operation. Just too dangerous and the liabilities would be outrageous.

 

[eastside_purple]

No problem with it either, but there should be a good faith attempt to disable the vehicles at the residence of the owner/debt holder. It should be illegal to disable the vehicle while in operation.

 

["David Thorne"]

Mel Farr was sued I don't know how many times for doing this...and yes people would be miles away from home...some were even in operation and it ended in crashes...I don't have a problem with it either...but before it gets to that point, call the lender and let them know you are gonna be late

 

[Slide-by]

Saw this coming years ago when I repoed cars. I could get the ones with On-star to unlock the doors for me and tell me where it was sitting. I always wondered when they were going to use the anti theft stuff to start disabling them for payment.

 

[ohiopup]

I can see a huge law suit coming...
not necessarily from the person that has their car disabled but
from other parties that get involved in an accident because of this.



:>---

 

[LittleCardsDad]

No problem with it either, but there should be a good faith attempt to disable the vehicles at the residence of the owner/debt holder. It should be illegal to disable the vehicle while in operation.

Agree I guess. But I would go further and install a remote airbag deployment switch in case somebody hacks my ignition lock.

 

[cabezadecaballo]

Yeah, I don't see this feature being used like a random lightning bolt out of the blue. It may feel like that to the bum that's not paying on his note. In reality, someone will be sitting at a monitor and picking a spot to kill the car.

 

[Slide-by]

Yeah, I don't see this feature being used like a random lightning bolt out of the blue. It may feel like that to the bum that's not paying on his note. In reality, someone will be sitting at a monitor and picking a spot to kill the car.

Couldn't tell you how many people acted all enraged and surprised when I showed up to take their car. Dude, you're 5 months behind. Don't act like you weren't expecting this, especially since it's at your mom's cousins house. That's why they want references with addresses, you know. It's a data base on where to look for your car.