When did Mercedes start putting data collection spyware in the S-class, and other models generally? I am talking about collecting your driving habits, spying on your conversations, and all the other stuff that newer vehicles do.

For example, if I buy a 2017 S-class, is it "connected?"

I'd like to figure out the newest Mercedes I can buy without being subjected to spyware.

Thanks.

If you have a cell phone, you are being spied on.
all cars since the 90’s have driving data collection.
you need a rotary phone and a benz from the 70’s.

Ya it is something like a blackbox. Like a plane.

I am not worried about a cell phone, that's a different device and can be secured with different measures. I know phones have spyware as well but let's leave that aside

What I mean is the concept of "connected" cars - vehicles spying on you in real time using your identity to build a personal profile and sell that info to the highest bidder

Cars have only started doing that in recent years, Tesla is probably the biggest offender but others are catching up

Does anyone know if W222 is "connected" or when Mercedes started doing this stuff

Thanks

I think (just guessing really) that all that spying activity was in place ever since mBrace was introduced so that was since 2010 or so.

You can read the privacy policy for Mercedes me connect, or the older Mercedes me online: https://www.mbusa.com/content/dam/mb...ay_Updated.pdf

MB only collects this data to provide the associated services, as opposed to Google for example who sells data they collect from your phone to anyone in order to pay for the services. The connected car services are a paid subscription and not ad paid like many of the services on your phone.

For my 2016 I had MBrace for the complimentary period and found little value in it and disconneted. I also found their in car WiFi was the worst and cut that off too. So given that, there is zero connection from my car to MB headquarters, there is no 1 or 2 way communications. Too bad that they can cannot push down updates and recalls like Tesla, I am sure new 223 can but I think your fine.

Different from your legitimate tracking concerns, I’m pretty certain the car, as do many, has an Event Data Recorder EDR. The EDR is tied to airbag deployment as a
“rolling 15 second data retention continuous purge”.

https://www.nhtsa.gov/research-data/event-data-recorder