Mercedes admits to covertly fitting tracking devices to customer’s cars

Ex-Cabinet minister calls out German carmaker for "behaving like Big Brother"

Mercedes admits to covertly fitting tracking devices to customer’s cars

Mercedes has sparked a privacy row after it admitted to fitting tracking devices in its cars, The Sun has claimed.

The devices are reportedly fitted to all new and used cars sold by the firm’s dealers and can pinpoint the vehicle’s exact location.

It’s not yet clear how long Mercedes has been using the trackers but the company insists they are only activated in “extreme circumstances” — when finance customers have defaulted on their payments.

However, it has also admitted to sharing car owner information and vehicle location details with third-party bailiffs and recovery firms who repossess the cars.

Mercedes sold more than 170,000 new cars in Britain last year.

“Deceitful”

Ex-Cabinet minister David Davis has now called for the government to investigate.

He said: “This is not the first time big business has behaved like Big Brother — but it’s rare to be quite as deceitful as this.

“I have to question whether it is even legal to pass on information to other people such as bailiffs.

“I would think the relevant minister ought to look very closely at the legality of this procedure.”

The row will undoubtedly raise questions about how vehicle manufacturers handle data.

EU data protection laws make it illegal to tracking a vehicle without its driver’s knowledge.

But Mercedes customers who buy cars through the official financial arm give their permission when signing lengthy terms and conditions — which often go unread.

Andrew Bridgen MP said: “If Mercedes wishes to install this privacy-surrendering tech in their cars, that’s fine.

“But surely they have a duty to explicitly tell their customers beforehand — and not hide it away in their terms and conditions.”

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Home Page Forums Mercedes admits to covertly fitting tracking devices to customer’s cars

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  • #183962 Reply

    Mercedes has sparked a privacy row after it admitted to fitting tracking devices in its cars, The Sun has claimed. The devices are reportedly fitted t
    [See the full post at: Mercedes admits to covertly fitting tracking devices to customer’s cars]

    #184011 Reply
    Epicyclic
    Guest

    This is outrageous!

    #184013 Reply
    matthew
    Guest

    Good idea to be fair

    #184016 Reply
    Rod
    Guest

    They are renting the cars not buying them, so the cars belong to Mercedes Finance. It’s
    The ponzi car purchase, sorry PCP!!

    #184017 Reply
    brad doulton
    Guest

    well, at least Mercedes will be able to track all those 3-4 year old diesels that are failing the emissions tests as they don’t conform to eu standards.
    There is a yard full of them in Sandwich which are going off to never be seen again.
    Looks like it’s not just VW.

    #184018 Reply
    Jack g
    Guest

    Good idea Mercedes.
    If the car is still Mercedes car then tracking it is a perfect thing to do. Also tell the customer so they know to pay up, and offer to remove it once fully paid.

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