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Lexus To Start Spamming Car Buyers In Their Cars
techmuse writes "Lexus has announced plans to send targeted messages to buyers of its cars based on the buyer's zip code and vehicle type. Unlike regular spam, these messages will be delivered directly to the buyer's vehicle, and will play to the vehicle's occupants as audio. Lexus has promised to make the messages relevant to the car buyers." Imagine the fun that some targeted malware could do — not that such a thing could happen to a Lexus.
I'm stunned that Lexus just made me appreciate my crappy Neon.
Lexus has promised to make the messages relevant to the car buyers.
Genius. Because who is more likely to be ready to buy a new car than someone that just bought a brand new one.
Whale
They claim it won't be used to bombard customers with ads...yah right. If the capability exists, it will eventually be used for advertising.
So now, I get to spend a huge premium so I can have a car with the Lexus name, thereby making all the other suburbanites jealous, and on top of it I get "targeted" advertisements. I'll think about getting a car that spews ads at me if and only if you give me the car for free.
On the other hand, if you subscribe to the prevailing theory as to why people buy a Lexus in the first place, all of the "targeted" ads will be for Viagra.
I hope they plan to charge the spam recipient a nominal fee of $10 for each such spam, with no daily limit on spams and with no way to opt out. Why? Because I own stock in GM.
If these ads really are relevant to the buyer, my first and only ad would start with "To stop receiving this 'service'..."
They say a little knowledge is a dangerous thing, but it's not one half so bad as a lot of ignorance. - Terry Pratchett
Have these people lost their minds? I spend $60,000 for an automobile and now it will spam me while driving it? Are you serious, Lexus? What could possibly motivate these people to want to spam their customers AFTER a purchase? We are getting closer and closer to Idiocracy.
Toyota officials promise to be discerning and restrained.
"We're not going to barrage customers with marketing messages," vows Jon Bucci, vice president of Toyota's U.S. advanced technology unit.
Yeah... and cable television will always be uncensored and commercial free... and sattilite radio will always be uncensored and commercial free...
Or maybe Planned Parenthood at that point...
I'm trying to teach myself to set people on fire with my mind... Is it hot in here?
...which states that drivers can decide whether or not to play the messages.
On the plus side, even for those that do decide to listen to the messages, this will only last until the first time somebody has an accident while listening to the message.
If you are not allowed to question your government then the government has answered your question.
What's that you say? It might be like other software and have occasional security holes in it? I'm sure that won't be a problem.
detect the implied insult?
"If you're gullible enough to spend $60k on a Toyota, here's a deal for you!"
Welcome to the Panopticon. Used to be a prison, now it's your home.
OTOH, it fits with the target market quite well. The whole point of the Lexus experience, based on their advertising and on the way they're driven, is to insulate you from the road. You don't have to pay attention at all! You can't hear the road, you don't need to be skilled enough to park, just carry on with your make-up and your phone calls. Are they even available with turn signals?
Scene: Inside Lexus Car
Driver: (turns on ignition, car starts)
Lexus: Good morning Driver 1, thank you for choosing lexus. Today's commute is brought to you by McDonalds, why don't you stop in on your way to work and get a McGriddle and McCoffee?
Driver: (backs out of driveway, heads down the road) No thanks car, It'll just be to work and back today.
Lexus: (tone of car changes to be deeper and more aggressive) I'm afraid I can't let you do that Driver 1. (car auto steers to nearest McDonalds, forces driver to purchase McGriddle and McCoffee)
Bucci says he's sensitive to luxury-car owners who may not want to participate. "Many of our owners enjoy their car as a cocoon," he says.
They know this, and yet they violate the sanctity of that cocoon anyways. How self-destructively stupid can you get? Can you give the Darwin award to a car maker?
Will there be an advertisement where the driver rolls down their window to give someone some Grey Poupon and is overcome by the noise of nearby jackhammers, then rolls up the window and is blissfully appreciating the quiet when suddenly they're startled out of their relaxation by a blaring message from Toyota recommending that they investigate a nearby 5 star restaurant, the marketing department having recently decided to increase the volume because a large segment of their target demographic is hard of hearing?
-1 Uncomfortable Truth
There is no "too big", there is only "insufficient force".
Justice is the sheep getting arrested while an impartial judge declares the vote void.
I see - you're near - a - Starbucks. Don't you - want - to get - a - latte?
Is that with the William Shatner voice module turned on?
Clippy the Lexus says...
"It looks like you are driving to your ex-girlfriends house; should I contact the highway patrol to schedule a breathalyzer test?"
-- Terry
To repeat a comment from another Lexus-related thread:
Whatever their other failings, I do not think you will see this type of thing from companies like BMW or Mercedes.
Read Pynchon.
The guy who just totalled his new car because he was distracted by adverts?
Confucius say, "Find worm in apple - bad. Find half a worm - worse."