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Comment by franky47 | Hacker News Reader

My dad bought a new Renault EV last month. The first thing the salesman asked him:

    Salesman: "Do you have a Google account?"
    My dad:   "Yes, why?"
    Salesman: "It's mandatory for purchasing a car with us."

How is that even legal?

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I know this exact sequence, because I've seen it with Volvo as well. Any car that's using AAOS now, really.

The manufacturer has a checklist for "delivering" the car to the customer. Usually that's stuff like taking off the shipping labels and checking the systems. But now it also includes training th customer on the car's infotainment system and the mobile app.

The dealer doesn't get credit for the car unless the checklist is complete. So they demand the customer log in so the training can be held.

I created a dummy gMail account at the dealer to get this done. Haven't used it since.

There's probably a way to opt out of all of it, but I have no idea how or where you do it.

This is not true.

The infotainment may use Android, and the salesman may help you set it up but this is definitely not the red flag you think it is

Your comment is a bit jumbled: it’s definitely a red flag. Are you saying that it’s not a real requirement but something the dealer misunderstood or is making up?

More likely sales guy is just saving headaches from complaints about advertised features not working if running without account

> I know this exact sequence, because I've seen it with Volvo as well.

I have an AAOS Volvo. At no point was I ever asked by a dealership to create or log in with a Google account. Google accounts are not required unless you want to use Google Assistant or download things from the Play Store. If you want to use the Volvo On Call app then you need a Volvo ID instead, which the dealership did offer help with.

It’s likely not actually mandatory. It’s likely a sales tactic to “unsure” the best customer experience.

Source?

You want a source for someone’s speculation?

Speculation without a source lacks credibility. Without a reputable basis for speculation, the information is unreliable. Speculate all you want but do not expect to be taken seriously.

Not who you responded to be a dealer mentioned to that getting an in-state financing was mandatory either through them or any in state agency and I couldn't use what I had.

Until I said, oh well that sucks and tried walking out. "Wait let us see what we can do."

Yeah, car shopping is a slimy business, and a whole lot of things are “mandatory” “the only option” until you get up to walk away.

"That's a shame", cya.

Or "give me one moment while I set up an account that I will never look at again"

It has to be the first one or these companies will never change.

Car dealerships are an insulating layer to protect manufacturers from the repercussions of the bullshit they inflict on customers. In exchange, dealerships are allowed to inject their own layer of bullshit.

One moment? Have you created a Google account recently? It's not nearly as easy as it used to be. Wants to know DOB, gender, a working phone number that they verify, etc. Seems to me that by linking the phone number to what is probably the same phone number for your other Google accounts, you may as well just have used your main Google account to begin with.

The same way we have catch-all email addresses, we need catch-all phone number redirects.

Google will know (and can even be pretty sure based on correlation of other things, like endpoint location if you tend to use multiple accounts from the same IP address) but at least the car dealer/manufacturer won't have your other email address, which solves for one possible threat model.

Are any of those hard requirements? I figure a phone number is at this point, but DOB or gender?

KYC policies, probably. Though asking for gender sounds like an unnecessary mine field.

There's that, but even DOB feels weird. And about twice a month when I log in Google tries to get me to fork over my home address.

KYC outside of industries like banking frustrates me to no end because when it comes to things like money laundering, they still drop the K. I'm reminded of an anecdote from a book I read a while ago, that some rich European had a really big account with either Chase or JP Morgan and his name wasn't attached to that account in any of their internal systems because he requested it.

Similar experience. I bought a Kia last month. The salesman was insistent that his "delivery checklist" needed to be complete or he'd be in trouble with his manager. It included sitting with me in the car to make sure the app got installed on my phone. Thankfully, my trusty Moto is too old and the Play Store said it was incompatible with the app (I'd be curious to know exactly why, but haven't pursued it). The salesman looked quite dejected.

To me the reasons for this pressure seemed quite obvious: to ensure that I was fully enrolled in the data collection.

> Salesman: "Do you have a Google account?"

Just wait until it gets so tighly coupled to the car that when google bots decide to cancel your gmail account, the car won't start anymore.

You need business with them to browse the internet and now to even buy a car. There is a word for this.

it shouldnt be, its like needing loyalty points for buying things, should be counted as using a non state currency. there is just a lack of legal power on the side of people not in bed with corporations

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