Slate Auto’s bare-bones EV pickup challenges connected-car data model
In a sector increasingly defined by data monetisation, the Warsaw, Indiana-based firm argues that ownership value should not come at the expense of user anonymity.
Slate Auto, a startup based in Warsaw, Indiana, has unveiled the Slate Truck, an electric pickup designed to reject the industry standard of embedded connectivity. The vehicle features a minimalist architecture comprising approximately 600 parts and a two-seat interior with manually wound windows. Crucially, the truck lacks an infotainment system and an embedded modem, a deliberate engineering choice that prevents remote tracking or the transmission of data to the manufacturer while the vehicle is in use.
The company’s approach stands in stark contrast to prevailing trends in the United States and Europe, where connected car services and data collection are commonplace. While European regulations have mandated embedded modems for emergency services since 2018, and US lawmakers have debated import restrictions on vehicles due to data security concerns, Slate Auto asserts that privacy is a core component of its product experience rather than a regulatory afterthought.
A companion smartphone application allows users to manage local settings, adjust drive modes, and view diagnostics. However, the app requires a direct local connection to the vehicle and does not facilitate remote access. Slate Auto has stated that data collected via the app is used solely to improve customer experience, including account setup, maintenance guidance, and over-the-air update status, and explicitly confirmed it will not sell user data.
“We are building it around ownership value,” the company said in a statement reported by SAE International’s Roberto Baldwin. “We collect data to make ownership better, not to turn the owner into the product. Privacy is paramount. For Slate, privacy is not a compliance footnote. It is part of the product experience.”
The move highlights a growing divergence in the automotive sector regarding data governance. In 2024, the Federal Trade Commission warned General Motors and other original equipment manufacturers against monetising personal information beyond service provision, following reports that the company had sold driver data without clear consent. Despite such regulatory scrutiny and warnings from the Mozilla Foundation regarding poor digital security practices among automakers, surveys suggest many US consumers do not prioritise privacy when purchasing vehicles.
Slate Auto’s strategy also contrasts with the argument made by proponents of Chinese-made electric vehicles, who often cite advanced connected services as a key competitive advantage. While US lawmakers have expressed bipartisan concern over potential links between such data and foreign states, Slate Auto’s design ensures the vehicle remains untraceable via remote means, akin to older analog vehicles, though it remains subject to automated license plate recognition cameras.
As the landscape of vehicle data regulation shifts, particularly following the change in US administration in January 2025, Slate Auto’s commitment to precise data collection and local-only connectivity offers a distinct alternative to the industry’s reliance on continuous connectivity and data monetisation.
