Apps that remotely track and control cars are being weaponized by abusive partners. Car manufacturers have been slow to respond, according to victims and experts.

She stopped responding to him, she said, even though he texted and called her hundreds of times.

Ms. Dowdall, 59, started occasionally seeing a strange new message on the display in her Mercedes, about a location-based service called “mbrace.” The second time it happened, she took a photograph and searched for the name online.

“I realized, oh my God, that’s him tracking me,” Ms. Dowdall said.

  • Nindelofocho@lemmy.worldEnglish
    1·
    6 months ago

    Its less about the cost of repair and more about its ability to safely get you where you’re going. Even well maintained vehicles break more the older they get. You dont want a vehicle to leave you stranded and a vehicle prone to issues will be much less trustworthy on longer trips. Sometimes youll also spend a couple grand on repairs and realize that the issue was misdiagnosed or caused another latent issue to show up and then your vehicle is in the shop for even longer. Its one thing to have to pay a couple grand in repairs but its a whole nightmare to be without transportation for potential weeks