Spy Hard: The C7’s Recording Tech Violates Laws in Some States

z06_3By now, we’ve heard just about everything we could ever dream of about the 2015 Z06. We know it handles, accelerates, and brakes like no other Corvette out there, yet aside from all of that, just as revolutionary as its powertrain is its high-tech interior, which has recently come under fire across the nation.

Hidden cameras and microphones inside the Z06's cab will turn on with Valet Mode, which will record data that legislators argue is non-concensual and therefore illegal.

Hidden cameras and microphones inside the Z06’s cab will turn on with Valet Mode, which will record data that legislators argue is non-concensual and therefore illegal.

States including California, Massachusetts, Montana, Hawaii, Illinois, and more have laws in place that prosecute non-consensual recordings as a felony charge, a crime that is directly relatable to one of Chevy’s selling points on the Performance Recorder package on the 2015 Stingray. Part of the package is Valet Mode, which acts as a security measure for the supercar.

Valet Mode, as its name might suggest, keeps track of what happens to the car when the owner hands off the keys to an unknown party. Gone are the days of Ferris Bueller’s Day Off, as this car locks off the interior storage spaces, turns off the infotainment system, and turns on hidden datalogging functions, as well as video cameras and microphones. That last part is where many states have a bone to pick with GM.

As nice as it would be to have visual and audial proof of your Z06’s well-being after you ducked into a fancy restaurant, the issue of privacy trumps any sort of designer car feature a PR person can dream up. Chevrolet has since come down on the side of common sense, issuing the following letter (as seen on Corvette Forum):

“In the meantime, you must advise any customers who take delivery of an impacted vehicle that they should refrain from using the Valet Mode until the update takes placeIf they do use the Valet Mode, they should (i) notify any occupants of the vehicle that they will be recorded while in the vehicle, and (ii) obtain their consent to this recording. It is very important that you explain this to each customer at the time of delivery.”

A patch has been reported to be in the works, which will disable the microphones while Valet Mode is active. Whether or not this is enough to appease all 15 states against the recording software has yet to be seen.

About the author

David Chick

David Chick comes to us ready for adventure. With passions that span clean and fast Corvettes all the way to down and dirty off-road vehicles (just ask him about his dream Jurassic Park Explorer), David's eclectic tastes lend well to his multiple automotive writing passions.
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