G.M. Warns Owners of New Corvettes About Legal Questions Around Car's 'Valet Mode'
By John Ostapkovich
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- General Motors is scrambling to find a workaround for its high-tech solution to "valet abuse" that, unfortunately, just might be against the law in many places.
Even though it was a Ferrari, not a Corvette, that got run into a ravine in Ferris Buehler's Day Off -- and not by the rogue parking valet that ran up extra miles with a joyride around Chicago -- the movie crystallizes some drivers' fear of leaving the keys to their "baby" with anyone.
So, Chevy had a bright idea.
"The new valet mode with performance data recorder allows the owner to record video, audio, and even vehicle data," says an announcer in a promotional video.
But hold your horses, car fans! Recording audio without everyone's permission (in this case the valet's) could be a felony in Pennsylvania, which requires all-party consent for recording audio.
It's also illegal in Michigan, where GM is headquartered.
The fix might be to obtain the valet's consent -- or to disable the audio recording feature.