Valets across America can breathe easier that now that their voices can't be recorded while parking the new 2015 Corvette.
Owners of the 2015 Chevy Corvette and former U.S. President Richard Nixon have something in common: they can record conversations. However, in some states, the Vette recordings could be a violation of the law.
When the car is in “Valet Mode,” which is part of the vehicle’s Performance Data Recorder, owners can secretly record conversations in their cars and performance data when they’re not along for the ride, such as when the car is being parked by a valet.
While that sounds like a great way to ensure you can prove some crazy valet may have caused the small ding in the Corvette’s fender, it’s also a great way to get in legal hot water: it’s illegal in many states to record conversations without telling the person being taped.
The automaker is developing a software fix for the problem, but in the interim, dealers have been instructed to tell customers about the problem. The “fix” is that audio recording will no longer be an option in valet mode, according to the automaker. Video and data recording will still done in Valet Mode.
GM will eliminate the audio recording capability of its "Valet Mode" for the 2015 Corvette.
“You must advise any customers who take delivery of an impacted vehicle that they should refrain from using Valet Mode until the update takes place,” according to a notice to dealers posted on CorvetteForum.com.
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The automaker is informing the owners of cars already sold about the issue. In the meantime, Corvette owners can get out of any legal wrangling by simply telling anyone who gets into the car their conversations will be recorded and get their approval for such recording.
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The valet mode doesn’t just record audio and video, it also record data that shows how the vehicle is driven when the owner is not in the car. It also locks the car’s storage compartments and shuts down the radio and entertainment systems.
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The Performance Data Recorder allows owners to make video and audio recordings of drives in their Corvette, including their choice of some of the car’s performance indicators. The audio portion will remain intact the performance recorder, the maker said.