CarBuyersNoteBook

Now…I used to think that OnStar was a pretty good idea.  It alerted the police in event of danger, if you got in an accident they’d call you an ambulance, they could unlock the doors if you got locked out, and plenty more besides.

But the recent OnStar ads, drawing attention to the fact that they can remotely shut down your car (which has apparently been available for some time now), have me all kinds of freaked out.

The thought that some button pusher from who knows where could reach out and stab a tab and say, tough luck, pal, you ain’t going NO-where, raises my every hackle.  There’s some value in the OnStar service, no doubt, but maybe we’re giving these guys just a little TOO much control over our cars.

I’m not suggesting throwing the baby out with the bathwater and dumping OnStar, but maybe a backup ignition system, or at least cutting OnStar out of that loop, may be a smart move.