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Jeep Introduces Pop-Up Ads That Appear Every Time You Stop

"In-dash advertising is here and Stellantis, the parent company of Jeep, Dodge, Chrysler, and Ram, beat everyone to further enshittification," writes longtime Slashdot reader sinij. "Ads can be seen in this video." From a report: In a move that has left drivers both frustrated and bewildered, Stellantis has introduced full-screen pop-up ads on its infotainment systems. Specifically, Jeep owners have reported being bombarded with advertisements for Mopar's extended warranty service. The kicker? These ads appear every time the vehicle comes to a stop. Imagine pulling up to a red light, checking your GPS for directions, and suddenly, the entire screen is hijacked by an ad. That's the reality for some Stellantis owners. Instead of seamless functionality, drivers are now forced to manually close out of ads just to access basic vehicle functions.

One Jeep 4xe owner recently shared their frustration on an online forum, detailing how these pop-ups disrupt the driving experience. Stellantis, responding through their "JeepCares" representative, confirmed that these ads are part of the contractual agreement with SiriusXM and suggested that users simply tap the "X" to dismiss them. While the company claims to be working on reducing the frequency of these interruptions, the damage to customer trust may already be done.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

China's BYD Adding 'High-Level' Self-Driving To Its Budget $10K EV

Chinese automaker BYD is offering its advanced "God's Eye" autonomous technology in mass-market EVs like the $9,500 Seagull, while expanding globally with government-backed EV initiatives. Gizmodo reports: Previously, BYD had limited its driver assistance features to higher-end models that cost more than $28,000, according to BYD CEO Wang Chuanfu. In expanding the technology to the Seagull and other cars for no extra charge, Chuanfu said "good technology should be available to everyone." Other BYD vehicles getting the addition of the technology including cars from its Ocean, Han, Song, and Yuan lineups, as well as its hybrid vehicles. "God's Eye was developed in-house by BYD and will equip the automaker's mass-market models with features commonly only found on upscale EVs such as remote parking via smartphones and autonomous overtaking on roads," the company said.

BYD says the level of autonomy present in each car will vary depending on which sensors are equipped in the cars. Some of its pricier cars, for instance, include LiDAR sensors like those found in Waymos, which can offer faster and more precise object detection than cameras alone, particularly in low-light conditions or when a roadway is obstructed by rain or fog. [...] China's government has heavily prioritized the transition to electric vehicles with strong incentives, and BYD has managed to turn a profit on its electric vehicles, a feat that has heretofore only been accomplished by Tesla. The importance to China is clear: As the world continues transitioning to EVs, the likes of BYD have been able to push into markets including Europe and South America as Western brands lose share.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

TikTok Wants Android Users To Sideload Its App

With TikTok's U.S. ban temporarily paused, the company is encouraging Android users to sideload its app by downloading it directly from TikTok.com as an APK file, bypassing the Google Play Store. TechCrunch reports: The Android app download is being made available as an Android Package Kit, more commonly known as an APK file, which contains the app's code, assets, and other resources that TikTok needs to run. By offering a standalone download, TikTok can at least temporarily skirt the current app store ban, which still prevents both Google Play and Apple's App Store from hosting the app while the ban's enforcement remains paused.

Read more of this story at Slashdot.

Maribyrnong River Viaduct and train

Jaybee35 has added a photo to the pool:

Maribyrnong River Viaduct and train

The morning Melbourne to Sydney XPT on the viaduct over the Maribyrnong River at Keilor East in Melbourne.

Opened in 1929 after being built by Victorian Railways, the viaduct is 383 metres long and 55 metres high and was the largest trestle bridge in Australia when completed.

Managed

Stueyman has added a photo to the pool:

Managed

Waterway management

A Bit Late For Australia Day But Took The FJ Out For A Spin This Morning

florahaggis has added a photo to the pool:

A Bit Late For Australia Day But Took The FJ Out For A Spin This Morning

Hopefully a lot of spiders abandoned ship, car has not been driven since September

One Day at Guitar Center

Thomas Hawk posted a photo:

One Day at Guitar Center

Taco Box

Thomas Hawk posted a photo:

Taco Box

Fokke & Sukke

F & S

The Register

Biting the hand that feeds IT — Enterprise Technology News and Analysis

Apple warns 'extremely sophisticated attack' may be targeting iThings

Cupertino mostly uses bland language when talking security, so this sounds nasty

Apple has warned that some iPhones and iPads may have been targeted by an “extremely sophisticated attack” and has posted patches that hopefully prevent it.…