I'm sure you know that modern cars are loaded with electronics that keep track of everything. I watched a video last night from a car shop that's working on a 2024 Mustang. Cars never have enough power. 😊 What he said is scary.

Basically, new cars spy on you and report back to the manufacturer. Imagine an invisible passenger riding with you all the time. But it's worse than that. It also knows everything that's on your phone, provided the phone has been paired with the car. It has all your contacts' numbers, and it can read your texts and emails even if you haven't read them yet. Basically, it knows as much as your phone knows. Did all your passengers click their seat belts? You may not know, but your car and the manufacturer know.

How about your driving? Are you weaving too much? If so, you're either tired or drunk. An alarm will sound, and it won't stop until you pull off the road and stop the car. Naturally, the manufacturer knows about this. Want to see if your car can do 100? Nope! It's limited to 80 MPH. There are circumstances in which you can go faster, but that is decided by the car. The car's camera can read! Some passengers in your car may not be able to read speed limit signs, but the car can. It knows when you are speeding, and so does the manufacturer.

As I said above, this pertains specifically to the 2024 Mustang, but the narrator said it's more or less universal. The owner's manual contains 551 pages, and most of this is spelled out in the manual. The manual also says that Ford will give information to "authorities" that request it. It also says - as all agreements do - that the agreement can change at any time.

I am convinced that here in Texas the pickup truck is a manifestation of wished-for machoism. The aggressive design of the front of the truck, the extra-big wheels and tires, the big exhaust rumble; the confrontational driving habits; these are all part of showing the world that you're "badass", you are a "tough guy."

You can describe these "tough guys" without looking at them. They have a couple of days growth on their face and a cigarette in their mouth. They wear a ball cap backwards and tee-shirt with some message you don't want your wife or daughter to read. And along with the loud exhaust, they have their radio pumped up to full volume with a bass that shakes the cars nearby.

I can turn off these features in my car but it's a complicated process requiring the owner to auger down through several "system setup" levels to do it. I shut off my car's automatic high/low beam switching because it was driving me nuts constantly flicking high and low as oncoming cars approached or I caught up to a car in front of me.
Ah so your one of those that blinds me at night with your high beams or dazzles me when you’re behind me by keeping your full beams on.

BTW hang on to that Fit; I tried to buy one last October and the dealer announced Honda no longer makes them. Probably because it was reasonably priced and had gas mileage close to a Prius. Not enough profit in them?

I am convinced that here in Texas the pickup truck is a manifestation of wished-for machoism. The aggressive design of the front of the truck, the extra-big wheels and tires, the big exhaust rumble; the confrontational driving habits; these are all part of showing the world that you're "badass", you are a "tough guy."

You can describe these "tough guys" without looking at them. They have a couple of days growth on their face and a cigarette in their mouth. They wear a ball cap backwards and tee-shirt with some message you don't want your wife or daughter to read. And along with the loud exhaust, they have their radio pumped up to full volume with a bass that shakes the cars nearby.