Sponsored

Ford 'Big Data Community'

EcoVert

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 28, 2016
Threads
94
Messages
3,454
Reaction score
1,874
Location
W.VA
Vehicle(s)
2015 Ecoboost convertible
Vehicle Showcase
4
So basically your agreeing to give up your privacy




No, I didn't ('ask what people thought'). Here is my original post, in its entirety (emphasis mine, hopefully there's no more reading comprehension fails):

"Anybody else been pitched this by Ford (well, a data gathering outfit working for Ford)? They install a data collector that transmits to Ford, and you take a survey once a month. They give $100 to start, and you get entered in some sort of lottery for (unspecified) goodies. The $100 is no big deal; I did it out of curiosity. I don't believe Ford would sell a 480 HP car then squawk when someone drove it as intended. And, if Ford uses it to build a better 'Stang, well y'all owe me ;)"

In case it's still not clear to somebody, I just wondered if anybody else had been asked to do this. That's when the black helicopter contingent chimed in and excoriated me for giving up my precious bodily fluids (or something). I really didn't expect that response; I'm as private and suspicious as anybody--and at least as computer, IT, internet and data savvy as anybody on this forum--and this looked harmless to me, and if it helps Ford stay in business, at least through my warranty period, well that's a good thing as far as I'm concerned.

Here's the T&C, in its entirety (except for my personal info). Mostly EULA boilerplate, and it seemed to me Ford was more concerned about me messin' with their stuff.

TL;DR:
"Ford Motor Company (“Ford”) is performing this study (“Big Data Drive”) to understand how our vehicles are used and to support research and development."

1Terms and Conditions Big Data Drive Effective: May 1, 2018 Version 1.0 Countries/Territories: United States 1. General Information These Terms apply to your access to and use of the website (“Site”), mobile application (“App”) or other technology where these Terms are displayed, (collectively referred to as the “Service”). The Service is owned or operated by the Ford Motor Company entity listed in the “Operator” section below (hereinafter “Ford”, “we”, “us”). These Terms do not alter in any way the terms of any other agreement you may have with us. If you want to retain a copy of these Terms, please save or print them. Some features of the Service may only be available on the App or the Site. The Service may also integrate with other services or devices, and these features may be subject to separate or supplemental terms (“Supplemental Terms”) or privacy practices –these will be presented to you in connection with that feature. 2. Your Agreement By accessing or using the Service, you agree to be bound by these Terms, and our Privacy Statement.Please review carefully. THIS IS A LEGALLY BINDING AGREEMENT BETWEEN YOU AND FORD. If you do not agree to these Terms or the Privacy Statement, you should stop using the Service immediately. A few important points: •These Terms contain important disclaimers and other provisions that limit our liability to you. •We may update the Service from time to time to introduce new features or fix issues. In some cases, you may need to install the newest version before you can use it again. DocuSign Envelope ID: D999F7A3-281A-4E22-ABF8-E3C947F8C6904•Your vehicle does not comply with government regulations and laws, or is damaged or configured in a way that restricts any service features, wireless communications, or GPS signals. Vehicle Compatibility. The Service is only compatible with specific model year Ford and Lincoln vehicles. Your research partner can provide the most updated Vehicle Compatibility and Requirements. Automatic Updates. We may update the software associated with the Service (including the App or associated software on your vehicle) from time to time. We may do this remotely without notifying you first.These software updates or changes may affect or erase data or metadata that is stored in your vehicle and/or device. We are not responsible for any affected or erased data due to a software update or change. 5. Your Duties and Responsibilities YOU ARESOLELY RESPONSIBLE FOR ANY USE OF THE SERVICE THROUGH YOUR ACCOUNT, EVEN IF YOU ARE NOT THE ONE USING THE SERVICE, OR LATER CLAIM THE USE OF THE SERVICE WAS NOT AUTHORIZED BY YOU. When you use the Service, you promise NOT to: •Use the Service for any fraudulent, unlawful, or abusive purpose, or in any way that interferes with our provision of Service to our other users; •Abuse or do anything to damage our or our dealers’ or service providers’ business operations, services, reputation, employees or facilities; •Use any content you receive through the Service except as expressly authorized by us; •Resell, copy, store, reproduce, distribute, modify, display, publish, perform, transmit, broadcast, or create derivative works from any content you receive through the Service; •Use any content you receive through the Service for commercial purposes; or •Modify, disassemble or tamper with any hardware that interfaces with the Service. 6. Safety Warning: We strongly recommend against the use of any hand-held device while driving, riding bicycles, or any other activity that requires your full attention, and encourage the use of voice-operated systems when possible. Accessing or using the Service on hand-held devices while driving, riding a bicycle, or other activity could distract your attention and result in loss of vehicle control, crash and injury. The Service may send messagesor push notifications to your mobile phone. Do not read messages on hand-held devices while driving, riding a bicycle, or engaging insimilar activities. DocuSign Envelope ID: D999F7A3-281A-4E22-ABF8-E3C947F8C69057. Ownership and Confidentiality All information and software provided by us through the Service is and will remain our sole and exclusive property. You will not publish, broadcast, retransmit or otherwise reproduce the information or software in any medium. Any violation of this restriction is an infringement of copyright or proprietary rights in the information and software. As between you and us, we (and our affiliates and applicable service providers) own or license all such software and you do not acquire any rights in such software, including any right to use or modify the software (other than in the ordinary course of your receipt and use of the Service in accordance with these Terms). 8. Communications If you choose to communicate with us, you expressly consent to our representatives contacting you in the manner you request. You agree that we may use your personal and other information as described in the applicable Privacy Policy. If available, you can choose whether or not to receive push notifications via your App or mobile device settings. You may opt-out of receiving certain types of emails about the Service by unsubscribing in those email messages. You may continue to receive communications within the App. 9. Limited License The Service and any content (images, logos, text, music, sounds, wallpaper, badges, etc.), data or software made available through or in connection with the Service (including via related websites) (collectively, “Ford Content”) is owned by usor used under license. Ford Content is protected by worldwide copyright, trademark, patent, trade secret, or other proprietary rights whether or not a copyright notice or other proprietary mark is present. You agree to comply with all copyright laws in your use of Ford Content, including preventing any unauthorized copying. Except as expressly provided herein, we do not grant any express or implied proprietary rights to Ford Content. Subject to your compliance with these Terms and any other terms communicated in connection with specific Ford Content, we grant you a non-exclusive, non-transferable, limited right to access, view, use, display and listen to Ford Content for your personal,non-commercial use only. You agree not to dispute our claims of ownership or validity of our rights in Ford Content. If you violate any of the Terms, your rights will immediately terminate and we may terminate your access to any Ford Content without notice and without any refund of fees, if applicable. DocuSign Envelope ID: D999F7A3-281A-4E22-ABF8-E3C947F8C6906Any right or authorization granted to you by us is also subject to the following restrictions: •you may not, nor allow third parties to, create derivative works, use any data mining, robots, or similar data gathering and extraction tools, create a database, download or store Ford Content other than as licensed above, link or frame Ford Content, extract, derive or attempt to extract or derive any source code or structure of all or any portion of Ford Content by reverse engineering, disassembly, decompilation or any other means; •you may not use Ford Content in any manner that is unlawful, abusive, defamatory, deceptive, or invasive of another’s privacy; •you may not use Ford Content with other content or in a manner that impersonates any person, business or entity, including us; •you may not interfere, try to interfere, disrupt, or try to disrupt our servers or networks, or disobey any of our network access or security requirements; •you may not use Ford Content to engage in conduct that reflects poorly upon or disparages our reputation or goodwill; and •you may not use Ford Content in conjunction with adult content or that promotes illegal activities, gambling, or the sale of tobacco or alcohol. If you are not the bill payer for the mobile phone or device being used to access Ford Content, you will be assumed to have received permission from the bill payer to use Ford Content, the Service and its features. 10. User-Generated Content, User Submissions To the extent you submit information or content to us (“User Submissions”), you understand and agree that they will not be treated in confidence by us except for personal information pursuant to the applicable Privacy Policy. You are solely responsible for your User Submissions and any consequences of posting or publishing them. You understand that many people from around the world will be able to see your postings and comments. You also agree that we and our third-party service providers may contact you via email about any submission. You grant to us an irrevocable, perpetual, transferable, non-exclusive, fully-paid, worldwide license to (a) use, copy,transmit, distribute, modify, create derivative works, adapt, delete, sub-license, combine with other ideas or works, publish, translate, publicly perform, and publicly display your User Submissions (or any modification thereto), in whole or in part, in any format or medium now known or later developed and (b) use (and permit others to use) your User Submission in any manner and for any commercial purpose (including, product, service or advertising). New or confidential ideas are prohibited on the Service. If you have an innovative idea, please use the official Ford process at: http://corporate.ford.com/innovation/innovation-ideas-submission.html. DocuSign Envelope ID: D999F7A3-281A-4E22-ABF8-E3C947F8C690
711. Trademark NoticeThe Ford name, and all trademarks and logos displayed on the Service are owned or used under license by us. The unauthorized use of any trademark displayed on the Service or included in any Ford Content is prohibited. 12. Designated Agent for Copyright Notification If you believe that any content on the Service infringes your copyright rights, please contact our designated agent for receiving such notifications in writing as follows: Designated Agent: DMCA Agent 330 Town Center Drive Dearborn, Michigan 48126 Email address: [email protected] Telephone: 313-390-5286 Fax number: 1-313-322-7162 Your communication must comply with the “Elements of Notification” requirements set forth in 17 U.S.C. § 512. 13. Term, Termination, Modification& Withdrawal Term. The term of this Agreement is indefinite. Termination and Modification. You may terminate this Agreement at any time by email notice to us at the address listed below in the “Contact Us” section. We may terminate this Agreement at any time by written notice (including e-mail). Please note that merely deleting or uninstalling the Service on your device will not terminate this Agreement and may not sever all data connections (e.g. between your vehicle and Ford). If you violate any ofthe Terms, your rights will immediately terminate and we may terminate your access to the Service without notice and without any refund of fees, if applicable. Ford reserves the right to suspend or cancel the Service or your access to the Service, or remove or edit any features or content at any time in in our sole discretion. DocuSign Envelope ID: D999F7A3-281A-4E22-ABF8-E3C947F8C690814. Interference CAUTION: ANY ATTEMPT BY ANY INDIVIDUAL TO DELIBERATELY DAMAGE THE SERVICE OR OTHERWISE UNDERMINE OUR LEGITIMATE BUSINESS OPERATIONS MAY BE IN VIOLATION OF CRIMINAL AND CIVIL LAWS AND WE RESERVE THE RIGHT TO COOPERATE IN THE PROSECUTION OF ANY SUCH INDIVIDUAL(S) AND TO PURSUE ALL REMEDIES TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY LAW. 15. Third-Party Beneficiaries Without limiting the foregoing, you have no contractual relationship whatsoever with any of our dealers, affiliates or service providers, and these Terms do not give you any rights against any of our dealers, affiliates or service providers. You are not a third-party beneficiary of any agreement between us and any of our dealers, affiliates or service providers. None of our dealers, affiliates or service providers has any legal, equitable, or other liability of any kind to you under these Terms. In contrast, our affiliates, subsidiaries, agents, predecessors in interest, successors in interest, and service providers are intended beneficiaries of the protections contained in these Terms relating to, among other things, limitations regarding the Service and its use and limitations on liability. 16. Indemnity, Hold Harmless By using the Service, you agree that you will defend, indemnify and hold harmless us and our subsidiaries and affiliates, their respective distributors, dealers, dealer associations, suppliers, licensors, partners and advertising and promotions agencies, from and against all the liabilities, claims, damages and expenses (including reasonable attorneys’ fees and costs) arising out of any use of the Service by or through you including any of its features or services, your breach or alleged breach of these Terms, and/or your breach or alleged violation of the patent, copyright, trademark, proprietary or other rights of third parties. We reserve the right to assume the exclusive defense and control of any matter otherwise subject to indemnification by you, and, in such case, you shall agree to cooperate with our defense of such claim. You acknowledge and agree that your app store provider has no liability, responsibility or obligation to you, including with respect to the investigation, defense, settlement or discharge of a third party’s intellectual property infringement claim. DocuSign Envelope ID: D999F7A3-281A-4E22-ABF8-E3C947F8C690917. Disclaimer The Service and all the information accessible through it are provided for information purposes only on an “as is” and “as available” basis. We, our information and service providers, and their agents make no warranties, representations, or guarantees of any kind, express or implied, including but not limited to, accuracy, currency, or completeness, the operation of the Service, the information, materials, content, availability, and products. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, OUR OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AFFILIATES, SHAREHOLDERS, REPRESENTATIVES AND AGENTS DISCLAIM ALL WARRANTIES, EXPRESS OR IMPLIED, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO, IMPLIED WARRANTIES OF MERCHANTABILITY, FITNESS FOR A PARTICULAR PURPOSE, AND NON-INFRINGEMENT IN CONNECTION WITH THE SERVICE AND YOUR USE THEREOF. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAWWE, ANY THIRD PARTIES INVOLVED IN PROVIDING THE SERVICE, AND ALL OF OUR AGENTS, ASSUME NO LIABILITY OR RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY: (I) ERRORS, MISTAKES, UNAVAILABILITY, INCOMPLETENESS OR INACCURACIES RELATED TO THE OPERATION OF THE SERVICE, OR ITS INFORMATION, MATERIALS, CONTENT OR PRODUCTS, (II) PERSONAL INJURY OR PROPERTY DAMAGE, OF ANY NATURE WHATSOEVER, RESULTING FROM YOUR ACCESS TO AND USE OF THE SERVICE, (III) ANY UNAUTHORIZED ACCESS TO OR USE OF OUR SECURE SERVERS AND/OR ANY AND ALL PERSONAL INFORMATIONAND/OR FINANCIAL INFORMATION STORED THEREIN, (IV) ANY INTERRUPTION OR CESSATION OF TRANSMISSION TO OR FROM THE SERVICE, (V) ANY BUGS, VIRUSES, TROJAN HORSES, OR THE LIKE WHICH MAY BE TRANSMITTED TO OR THROUGH THE SERVICE BY ANY THIRD-PARTY, AND/OR (VI) ANY ERRORS OR OMISSIONS IN ANY CONTENT OR FOR ANY LOSS OR DAMAGE OF ANY KIND INCURRED AS A RESULT OF THE USE OF ANY CONTENT POSTED, EMAILED, TRANSMITTED, OR OTHERWISE MADE AVAILABLE VIA THE SERVICE. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, IN NO EVENT SHALL WE, OR OUR OFFICERS, DIRECTORS, EMPLOYEES, AFFILIATES, SHAREHOLDERS, REPRESENTATIVES OR AGENTS BE LIABLE FOR ANY, INDIRECT, INCIDENTAL, CONSEQUENTIAL, PUNITIVE, OR ANY OTHER DAMAGES OF ANY KIND, INCLUDING BUT NOT LIMITED TO LOSS OF INCOME, PROFITS, GOODWILL, DATA, OR USE OF MONEY, WHETHER IN TORT (INCLUDING WITHOUT LIMITATION NEGLIGENCE), CONTRACT OR OTHERWISE, ARISING OUT OF OR RELATED TO ANY ACCESS TO, USE OF, OR INABILITY TO ACCESS OR USE THE SERVICE OR ANY OF ITS FEATURES, FUNCTIONALITIES, CAPABILITIES OR CONTENT, EVEN IF WE HAVE BEEN ADVISED OF THE POSSIBILITY OF SUCH DAMAGES. SOME STATES DO NOT ALLOW DISCLAIMERS OF VARIOUS WARRANTIES, SO THIS DISCLAIMER MAY NOT APPLY TO YOU. TO THE EXTENT SUCH WARRANTIES CANNOT BE DISCLAIMED UNDER THE LAWS OF YOUR JURISDICTION, WE LIMIT THE DURATION AND REMEDIES OF SUCH WARRANTIES TO THE FULL EXTENT PERMISSIBLE UNDER THOSE LAWS. This section does not affect, and is not intended to affect, any rights that a consumer has that are not able to be excluded under applicable consumer laws. This Section should be read in conjunction with theDocuSign Envelope ID: D999F7A3-281A-4E22-ABF8-E3C947F8C69010applicable consumer law in your country of residence as certain limitations described above may not apply to you. 18. Choice of Law, Jurisdiction These Terms together with any additional terms to which you agree when using particular elements of the Service constitute the entire agreement regarding the Service. Unless and to the extent local law requires otherwise, these Terms are governed by, and construed in accordance with, the laws of the State of Michigan (United States), except in relation to any conflict of law provisions thereof. Unless local law mandates otherwise, all lawsuits arising from or relating to these Terms shall be brought in the Federal or State courts located in Wayne County, Michigan. 19. Export Control Laws Materials and information provided on or through the Service, including but not limited to prices, features, products or services, may not be available outside the U.S. If you choose to access the Service from outside the U.S., you do so at your own risk and are responsible for compliance with applicable laws. You agree to comply with all export and re-export control laws, restrictions and regulations or similar laws of your government in connection with your use of the Service, including the Export Administration Regulations (“EAR”) maintained by the U.S. Department of Commerce, trade and economic sanctions maintained by the Treasury Department’s Office of Foreign Assets Control (“OFAC”), and the International Traffic in Arms Regulations (“ITAR”) maintained by the Department of State. Specifically, you agree that you shall not –directly or indirectly –sell, export, re-export, transfer, divert, or otherwise dispose of any products, software, or technology (including products derived from or based on such technology) received from Ford under these Terms to any destination, entity, or person prohibited by any applicable laws or regulations of the U.S. or any other jurisdiction without obtaining prior authorization from the competent government authorities as required by those laws and regulations. Further, because Ford is based in the U.S., you represent and warrant that: (i) you are not located in a country that is subject to a government embargo, or that has been designated by any country’s government as a “terrorist supporting” country, and (ii) that you are not listed on any government list of prohibited or restricted parties as specified in the laws and regulations listed above. This export control clause shall survive termination or cancellation of these Terms. DocuSign Envelope ID: D999F7A3-281A-4E22-ABF8-E3C947F8C690




DocuSign Envelope ID: D999F7A3-281A-4E22-ABF8-E3C947F8C6901120. Changes, Updates We may change these Terms, or the Service or any of its parts at any time. We will endeavor to alert you through the Service of changes to the Terms. Youruse of the Service after any changes are implemented will be considered acceptance of such changes. If you object to any changes to the Service or to these Terms, your sole recourse is to stop using the Service. 21. Employees Use of this Service by Ford employees, including contract, agency and supplemental, is completely voluntary and will have no impact on your employment. Time spent using the Service outside of work hours is not compensable. If you have questions, please talk with your supervisor before downloading or registering for this Service. 22. Miscellaneous Entire Agreement. These Terms (including any supplemental or other terms referenced herein) constitute the entire agreement regarding the Service. If a court determines that any term or condition in these Terms is illegal or unenforceable, then such term will be eliminated and the remaining terms and conditions will remain in full force and effect. Our failure to exercise or enforce any right or provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision. Severability, Waiver. If a court determines that any term or condition in these Terms is illegal or unenforceable, then such term will be eliminated and the remaining terms and conditions will remain in full force and effect. Our failure to exercise or enforce any right or provision of these Terms shall not constitute a waiver of such right or provision. If any provision of these Terms is found by a court of competent jurisdiction to be invalid, the parties nevertheless agree that the court should endeavor to give effect to the parties’ intentions as reflected in the provision, and the other provisions of these Terms remain in full force and effect. Assignment. We can assign these Terms in whole or in part to anyone we choose. You can't assign your rights or obligations under these Terms to anyone else without our prior consent. Force Majeure. Neither we, nor our service providers will be responsible for the failure to provide the Service to you if caused by any of the following: any act or omission (including interruption of cellular service) of anyservice provider; system failures or shortages; damage to our-designated Customer Assistance Center, any land or wireless communications networks or the GPS system; acts of nature, labor strikes or war; or any other act or event that is outside ofDocuSign Envelope ID: D999F7A3-281A-4E22-ABF8-E3C947F8C69012our reasonable control. UNDER ANY OF THESE CIRCUMSTANCES, WE MAY AT OUR OPTION SUSPEND OR TERMINATE ALL OR SOME OF THE SERVICES OR THESE TERMS WITHOUT PRIOR NOTICE TO YOU AND WITHOUT ANY LIABILITY; MOREOVER, YOU WILL NOT BE ENTITLED TO ANY REFUND OR CREDIT. Headings. The headings in these Terms are for convenience only and have no legal or contractual effect. 23. Operator / Contact Us The Service is operated by Ford Motor Company, One American Road, Dearborn, Michigan 48126 United States of America. If you have any questions, comments, or claims regarding the Service you may contact us by finding your local contact information by going to http://corporate.ford.com/our-company/country-websites, or contacting us at: Telephone 313-910-4949 (U.S.) 800-232-5952 (TDD for the hearing impaired) Available 8:00 am -5:00 pm EST Monday –Friday E-Mail Address [email protected] ________________________________ Participant CDS ID if a Ford Employee ________________________________ Participant name (PRINTED)______________________________________________________________Participant [deleted] Big Data Drive Participation AgreementFord Motor Company, Dearborn, MichiganPurpose of this Research: Ford Motor Company (“Ford”) is performing this study (“Big Data Drive”) to understand how our vehicles are used and to support research and development.Study Procedure:Hardware, consisting of an OpenXC device to be connected to the OBD-II port of the vehicle(“data logger”)and an android phone (“transmission device”)(“Ford-issuedHardware”), will be mailed to you. You will be provided instructions on how to installthe data logger on your vehicleand how to pair the transmission device. The Ford-issued Hardwareenables thecollection, storage and transmissionof data(“Data”)detected from the OBD-II port of the vehicle’s controller area network (CAN) bus, a communications system in your vehicle that connects various sensors and devices. You will operate the vehicleas you normally would in your daily life without any instructions, obligations, or assignments from Ford.The Studywill be conducted throughout this year, and it may roll over into next year. Risks: There are no known physical or psychological risks associated with participation in this study. The data logging hardware has no known effects on the operation of your vehicle.Data Collected: Data that may be collected by Ford includes the following,or substantially similar data: 1.Date and time of data transmission2.Vehicle Identification Number (VIN)3.Odometer (mileage)4.Vehicle speed5.Braking conditions6.Steering angle7.Engine and transmission parameters (e.g., temperature, RPM)8.Diagnostic codes9.Infotainment use (e.g. radio station selection)10.Location-based data (such as direction heading, latitude and longitude, also known as Global Positioning System (GPS) data)11.Wireless data utilization (amount of data used, but not internet traffic)12.Feature utilization(e.g. remote unlock/lock, geo-fencing usage)As the vehicle is driven, data will be collected with this Ford-issued Hardware and transmittedovera secure internet connection to a storage server from which Ford can analyze.Privacy: Any personallyidentifiable information (PII) collected in the Study will be used for technical supportand for product/servicesresearch, development,and improvementpurposes,and only available to individuals with a legitimate business need to know. PII isany information that can identify a unique individual,or be identified to that individual. In this study, PIImay include your name, VIN, precise locationor other information collected from the Ford-issued Hardwarethat is identifiable to you.PII may be shared outside of Ford with any third parties that support the Study, who are subject to confidentiality restrictions.The Data collected will not be shared with others, except where required by law or to protect the rights or property of Ford.This Data may be aggregated or otherwise anonymized or de-identified by Ford, and such anonymous data may be used or shared with third parties for any purpose.DocuSign Envelope ID: D999F7A3-281A-4E22-ABF8-E3C947F8C690Big Data Drive Participation AgreementFord Motor Company, Dearborn, MichiganFreedom to Withdrawand Termination of Study: If you have any questions about the Study, please do not hesitate to ask at any time. You may withdraw from the Study at any timeby sending a written request to withdraw tothe program coordinator [email protected] collected up to point of withdrawal will continue to be used consistent with this agreement.You must return the Ford-issued Hardware when the Study ends or you withdraw.Release of Liability & Assumption of Risk: I hereby release, waive,discharge and agree not to sue FordMotor Company, itsrespective officers,employees,agents, servants, subsidiaries,andaffiliates(collectively, the “Releasees”) in connection with any liability,claims, demands,actions and causesof action whatsovever arising out of or related to anyloss, damage, or injury,includingdeath, that may be sustained by meor any authorized driver of my vehicle, or any of the property belonging to me(including, but not limited to, vehicle, mobile device, or any other related hardware)from any cause whatsoever, arising in connection with my participation in the Study. I hereby acknowledge that I am voluntarily participating in the Study. I voluntarily assume full responsibility forany risks of loss, property damage or personal injury, including death, that may be sustained by meor any authorized driver, or any loss or damage to property owned by me, as a result of being engaged in the Study.I further agree to indemnify and hold harmless the Releasees from any loss, liability, damage or costs, including court costs and attorney fees that they may incur due to my participation in the Study.It is my express intent that this Big Data Drive Participation Agreement, Release of Liability & Assumption of Risk (“Agreement”) shall bind the members of my family and spouse, if I am alive, and my heirs, assigns and personal representative, if I am deceased, and shall be deemed as a release, waiver, discharge and covenant not to sue the Releasees. I hereby further agree that this Agreement shall be construed in accordance with the laws of the State of Michigan.Miscellaneous: I understand and agreethat I will not be compensated for my participation in this Study or any time spent driving and that this action does not constitute work for which I am employed. Participant's Permission: By signing this Agreement,Iacknowledge and represent that I havereadthe same,understand it and sign it voluntarily as my own free act and deed;no oral representation, statement, or inducements, apart from the foregoing written agreement, have been made.I am either (a) the registered owner of the vehicle or (b) I have the authoritydesignated to me by the registered ownerto sign this participation agreement;and I have the required auto insurance. I amat least eighteen (18)years of ageandfully competent. I amin possession of a DocuSign Envelope ID: D999F7A3-281A-4E22-ABF8-E3C947F8C690
Big Data Drive Participation AgreementFord Motor Company, Dearborn, Michiganvalid driver's license, and do not believe there is any reason why I should not participate in this Study. I will inform all authorized drivers of my vehiclethat I am participating in the Study. I am participating in the Study of my own free will and acknowledge that the opportunity to participate in this Studyis good and validconsideration for the obligations that I voluntarily accept herein. I agree to voluntarily participate to the best of my ability.Vehicle Description: Make: ______________Model: ________________Year: _____________________________________________________Participant name (PRINTED)_____________________________________________ ______________________ ___________________________Participant Signature [deleted]
Sponsored

 
OP
OP
Bullitt0819

Bullitt0819

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2019
Threads
27
Messages
543
Reaction score
248
Location
Modesto, CA
First Name
Bob
Vehicle(s)
2019 Bullitt Mustang
Yep. For a measly hundred bucks (times are tough; dropped $50K on a new Mustang now I'm broke).

Uh oh, gotta go .... think I hear a black helicopter circling overhead.

ps. You gave up more of your privacy the last time you accepted a cookie.
 

EcoVert

Well-Known Member
Joined
May 28, 2016
Threads
94
Messages
3,454
Reaction score
1,874
Location
W.VA
Vehicle(s)
2015 Ecoboost convertible
Vehicle Showcase
4
Yep. For a measly hundred bucks (times are tough; dropped $50K on a new Mustang now I'm broke).

Uh oh, gotta go .... think I hear a black helicopter circling overhead.

ps. You gave up more of your privacy the last time you accepted a cookie.
:bandit: :crackup:
 
OP
OP
Bullitt0819

Bullitt0819

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2019
Threads
27
Messages
543
Reaction score
248
Location
Modesto, CA
First Name
Bob
Vehicle(s)
2019 Bullitt Mustang
If you're serious about privacy, you'll want to take a hammer and smash your cellphone to bits. ZeroHedge is a bit out there--the original WSJ article is behind a paywall--and the apps are a bit arcane, but if you think Google, Apple, Facebook and, well, pretty much every app on your phone isn't reporting back to the mothership you're naive:

https://www.zerohedge.com/news/2019...sonal-information-facebook-whether-or-not-you

I'm gonna hazard a guess you take your cellphone more places than your car(s).
 

JCFoster

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 21, 2016
Threads
20
Messages
724
Reaction score
500
Location
Hornbeck, La
Vehicle(s)
2016 GT Vert, 3.15, A6, Magnetic
For the conspiracy folks, if you’ve worked for the government you’d be at ease. As my daddy would say , “the could F up a three car funeral.”
 

Sponsored

OP
OP
Bullitt0819

Bullitt0819

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2019
Threads
27
Messages
543
Reaction score
248
Location
Modesto, CA
First Name
Bob
Vehicle(s)
2019 Bullitt Mustang
We sell the information to insurance companies that then hose your rates.
For a couple days I thought maybe y'all were right: I got a premium notice from State Farm and my rates had gone up by about $7/mo. The detail showed 'Drive Safe & Save' discount had been removed from my Mustang; had Ford ratted me out to SF? Was I going to have to eat crow on the Forum? So I called SF and my agent's assistant informed me I had gotten the 'DS&S' discount because I had been reporting my mileage every 6 months. She said too many customers were complaining about having to report their mileage--on an app or website--every 6 mos (takes all of 5 minutes or less). Really? So SF changed the program so that mileage only had to be reported once a year, but you also had to install an app that tracks your driving habits or have OnStar to get the discount. Of course, Ford don't do OnStar and I damn sure wasn't installing a tattler on my phone.

So Ford hasn't ratted me out, but the day is probably coming when, if you want to get affordable insurance for your car you'll probably have to reveal your driving habits (not a plus for most of us, I suspect). Did SF use 'lazy drivers' as an excuse to instigate such a program? Probably, but I also believe there are a lot of lazy-assed people. Oh, and I still had an option to get into 'DS&S' for my Austin-Healey, but that's only because it's on a different yearly schedule and it will be phased out as well.
 

Interceptor

Daily Driver
Joined
Apr 3, 2018
Threads
69
Messages
1,627
Reaction score
1,213
Location
Low country South Carolina
Vehicle(s)
2019 California Special A10
It's pretty simple to me no matter how hard you try to confuse it.

Why would Ford pay you $100.00 plus if it wasn't a benefit to them? This is the same company that went to one horn to save money. This is an expensive experiment that that will get a return on, as in selling data once it is done with it.

But you have nothing to sorry about, unless you are doing something wrong. Isn't that the argument?
 
OP
OP
Bullitt0819

Bullitt0819

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2019
Threads
27
Messages
543
Reaction score
248
Location
Modesto, CA
First Name
Bob
Vehicle(s)
2019 Bullitt Mustang
It's pretty simple to me no matter how hard you try to confuse it.

Why would Ford pay you $100.00 plus if it wasn't a benefit to them? This is the same company that went to one horn to save money. This is an expensive experiment that that will get a return on, as in selling data once it is done with it.

But you have nothing to sorry about, unless you are doing something wrong. Isn't that the argument?
You sir, have a very firm grasp of the obvious (and sound like the type that sees conspiracies around every corner). I gotta ask: If you distrust Ford so much why did you buy one of their cars?

So, you're implying that doing something that might benefit Ford is a bad thing? So far, I have no evidence, none, that Ford is using my data to do anything but improving their cars, purchase experience or the company (if I find out Ford has sold my data to insurance companies I will be royally pissed and, like I said, I will eat crow here*). A lot of the survey questions are of the 'what could we do/have done better ?' and 'what features would you like to have' variety (and did you even read my previous comment, where I pointed out it was the insurance company, not Ford, that wants to monitor my driving*, or were you in such a hurry to tell me I'm an idiot you didn't bother? Talk about 'confused'). I just completed a survey where Ford asked several questions about autonomous driving; my responses were along the lines of 'NFW, EVER' (I am no more interested in cars that drive themselves than I am in aircraft that fly themselves into the ground; however, I've found the reverse obstacle warning to be helpful on occasion). I got to put my $0.02 in, whether Ford considers it or not I will never know, but if Ford decides to not make autonomous Mustangs based on my responses most of you would probably thank me.

The $100 had little to do with it, I probably would have 'volunteered' without it, as I saw it as an opportunity to help Ford, beyond ranting on forum comment boards that Ford would be stupid to pay much if any attention to. If my input helps Ford make even better GTs and Bullitts--a boosted 4-banger is not my style--then, again, you can all thank me. And, while I'm very heartened that a complete stranger would be so interested in protecting me from the big, bad automobile and insurance companies I am perfectly capable of looking after myself and my loved ones, thank you very much.

Just to make sure there's no more 'confusion:' I participated in this project to help Ford make better cars, I did consider they might sell my data to someone--did you read the EULA I posted in its entirety here (I did)?--but discounted it, and the $100 was a sweetener, not a motivator.

* If you, or anyone else on this forum, has evidence Ford is selling this data to insurance companies--not just faith-based conspiracy theories--I would like to see it.
 
Last edited:

boB

Well-Known Member
Joined
Dec 10, 2018
Threads
15
Messages
1,041
Reaction score
1,017
Location
FL
First Name
boB
Vehicle(s)
2019 GT PP1
Update: well, that was quick. I declined to connect the device to my phone and Ford said the target group was already full. They will never get to see how many times I shift at redline. ;)

I just got an email from Ford/Big Data Drive, not sure if I will sign up or not. I am ok with helping Ford decide to keep making V8 Mustangs, not so much about handing out data.

As for the insurance company rat-out devices, I tried one and too many times it reported "emergency braking" for a Honda CR-V with 100k+ miles and original brakes. I gave it back.
 

Sponsored
OP
OP
Bullitt0819

Bullitt0819

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2019
Threads
27
Messages
543
Reaction score
248
Location
Modesto, CA
First Name
Bob
Vehicle(s)
2019 Bullitt Mustang
Update: well, that was quick. I declined to connect the device to my phone and Ford said the target group was already full. They will never get to see how many times I shift at redline. ;)

I just got an email from Ford/Big Data Drive, not sure if I will sign up or not. I am ok with helping Ford decide to keep making V8 Mustangs, not so much about handing out data.

As for the insurance company rat-out devices, I tried one and too many times it reported "emergency braking" for a Honda CR-V with 100k+ miles and original brakes. I gave it back.
I've been with Big Data for about 8 months. I haven't modified my driving habits one bit, and haven't heard a thing from Ford or my insurance company (the conspiracy theorists here notwithstanding; I got up to 120MPH coming home from Idaho the other day). You plug in the dongle, pair it with your wi-fi router and their phone via Bluetooth. I've filled out maybe 4 or 5 surveys, but they haven't asked for anything in a couple months. I let Ford know that there are lots of people passionate about big-ass NA V8s (I personally take credit for Ford building the GT500).

There are downsides, but not what you'd expect. The dongle is pretty big and, theoretically, can get in your way. The phone they provide is by Blu--whoever the hell that is--and it's an absolute piece of shit (I'm used to iPhones). The phone seems to collect data--in 10min intervals per file--but Ford's servers keep rejecting the uploads; last I checked I've got over 500 pending files. I've checked their error messages--it's Ford's fault (maybe that's why they quit sending me surveys). I half-suspect Ford won't want the phone back as it's not worth return postage.

Still, it's been a worthwhile endeavor. Rather than just bitch about a car company anonymously on a forum, I tried to let the decision-makers know directly what I like and don't about their product. Maybe they're listening; check out the GT500 and the improved GT350.
 
OP
OP
Bullitt0819

Bullitt0819

Well-Known Member
Joined
Jan 15, 2019
Threads
27
Messages
543
Reaction score
248
Location
Modesto, CA
First Name
Bob
Vehicle(s)
2019 Bullitt Mustang
Closing the loop: A week or so Ford ended this survey. They asked that I send the (crappy) cell phone, dongle and charger back by prepaid FedEx, which I did. When they received it, I got a $100 gift card to Amazon. So, $200 for living with an unobtrusive attachment--it actually lasted almost two years instead of the initial one--and answering a few surveys (Ford seemed genuinely interested, and I figured telling them directly my likes and gripes is more likely to be productive than just bitching on a forum).

Now let's see if Ford gives me that free Tremec swap :wink:

Addendum: And for those who were sure Ford would sell/give my data to my insurance company, my premium has actually gone down over 10% (most likely because of the pandemic).
Sponsored

 
Last edited:
 




Top