Class action for unilaterally modifying the agreement about feature access after the fact and to the detriment of the consumer.
this post was submitted on 23 Jun 2026
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How are all these governments and companies managing to enshitify everything? Yet, when it comes to real problems like world hunger, child poverty, and exploitation, no one even blinks an eye.
No one makes short term profit off of solving world hunger, so it doesn't get solved. 🙈
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All of this leads back to an old rhetorical question I've often asked. Why the fuck isn't the whole entertainment system and car connection just a standard touchscreen and communication protocol?
The fact that I need these proprietary patent-gated apps to use parts of my car, instead of just a driver that could work on any device with the right port, is overtly user-hostile.
Because the greed of corporations knows no limit. They sold you the (expensive) hardware, now they want to sell you the (specific, usually compatible but not really, and slightly buggy implementation) software. Can't do that with open specifications.
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Hopefully this doesn't affect me
It does, unfortunately, affect you. Your van does not support GrapheneOS.
That's a wonderful creature.
Awesome!
It's glorious!
I love it!
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Just another shitty company.
Holy crap I miss old times 2013 when nobody was even bothering and all bootloaders was unlocked by default no play integrity just do what u wanna do with ur own device
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This is highly misleading. Hopefully there's a link in the article to the original report on the GrapheneOS forums, where they talk about the app update breaking it on multiple platforms, not just GrapheneOS. It does not appear to be a block.
It's probably just using googles play integrity, that tends to break apps in pretty much in everything that isn't stock manufacturer android.
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Cars didn't need apps in the 1900's and they sure as hell don't need them now.
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Change it from they block GOS to they spy on you. Get it in front of as many people as possible. If they get huge negative press they’re more likely to change.
They literally murdered millions and were in the press about it. I think they don’t care about headlines anymore.
Why does a car need an android app?
It doesn't need it, it will drive just fine without app connection, but it provides convenient remote access and control capabilities.
I'd prefer a car that's entirely analog. What a crazy dream.
My first car was a 1992 honda civic. As time went on and cars cot more modern, i yearned for a more modern car. Infotainment seemed like so much fun, all thr convenient knick knacks and gizmos.
Now, unironocally my dream car is my 1992 honda civic from back in the day
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Well there's always buying an old beater or a classic and restoring it. But you'd have to go more than 40 years back to find cars that are entirely without digital components.
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Why does car need to be an android app?
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Why they do this:
After the first three years, Volkswagen is charging ev customers €150/year to see the charge level on the app, remotely start the air conditioning, schedule charge and so on.
Any tinkerer is thinking "well, if I am paying this extortion just to see the charge level on the app, then I want to exfiltrate my data in home assistant or similar, getting better stats and so on"
So they blocked the API with Google play integrity signatures
Now, instead of spending money on engineering ways to block uncertified devices, they could have simply introduced an official API with rate limits and stuff.
The fact that they noticed all those "unauthorized accesses" it's prove that people just want to pay for a lightweight API access, not a 250mb app that takes 4 minutes to remotely start the air conditioning
After all, we're talking for €150/year for accessing the data of a €1 iot sim card using 0.0001€ of compute time. There should be enough margin for that.
Too bad the people in charge and developers of sensible mind are not the same people
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I said long time ago that EU really needs to focus on opening up the platforms. Force app makers to support de-googled phones. Force car makers to support de-googled phones. You can't become technologically independent if you don't control the platforms.
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Ok, don't buy Volkswagen. Got it.
Also, don't buy "connected" cars. FFS, if your car features rely on an internet service provided by the manufacturer, you are just begging for these sorts of shenanigans.
When XavDub contacted the German car maker, the company responded that GrapheneOS “is not an official Volkswagen offering” and advised them to contact their OS provider instead.
This is the only official word from Volkswagen in the whole article. To me, this reads less as "We are blocking GrapheneOS users" and instead "GrapheneOS is not something we give any official support" which I think is a key distinction.
It's not clear what's different in the update that doesn't work with GrapheneOS, whether it's an API call that doesn't work or if they've implemented the Play Integrity API - but I think this article is a bit sensationalist and everyone's reacted only to the headline.
My car is staying dumb as long as possible it seems, I despise these tricks leeching into every new car these days.
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But why?
Their intent was to block third party app, not GOS specifically. GOS not working is a side effect.
Why blocking third party? As said below: to force the use of privacy invasive apps, and collect more data.
Now they will change course only if they suffer from a sufficient backlash. And that needs to be painful enough to deter other car makers from doing the same.
Because they want your data :)
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i want a car with zero touchscreen. Heck, even no reverse camera - older folks have been driving just fine for years with just the side and rear mirrors. 3 pedals.
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Volkswagen of all people.
After this fuckup: https://fahrplan.events.ccc.de/congress/2024/fahrplan/talk/Q8ZAV9/
They should be the last ones to deny anyone else using privacy preserving tools.
(Hint the player has multiple audio tracks, there is a dub in English)
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