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Removing the modem and GPS from my 2024 RAV4 hybrid

arkadiyt.com

431–440 of 605 posts

Re: Removing the modem and GPS from my 2024 RAV4 hybrid

#431
post #423

Earlier quoted context omitted.

This is one of those things that can't ever be solved with individual solutions but needs to be solved through legislation and standards, and ideally a fundamental right to privacy (and a fundamental redefinition of what privacy means when it comes to corporate surveillance of individuals).

Needless to say, cars in the UK/EU have no such privacy invading features without an explicit opt-in thanks to sensible data protection legislation; including the GDPR. The FUD spouted on here by the scummy adtech industry about legislation to protect YOUR privacy is mind boggling. These are the people doing the digital equivalent of sniffing your underwear to work out what you had for breakfast. (And before somebody…

I'm tempted to say "oh you sweet summer child", because it seems just unbelievable that the statement is true (in the sense that the small print in rental cars and sales contracts doesn't allow it, ot it's done by law enforcement agencies surrepticiously).

But maybe it IS true. I know it's legally mandated.

Re: Removing the modem and GPS from my 2024 RAV4 hybrid

#432
post #73

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I cannot imagine the lack of concern about my privacy that it would take to make me daily-drive a car that hadn't been put through this process. (I dread the day my 2007 Civic is no longer usable.)

Not to mention, people kept saying "Who cares, you're being silly" then multiple companies were caught selling into to insurance companies.

This is why I hate the online car owner forums. Car owners ask reasonable questions like these and people sneer in their replies saying "that's a horrible idea" as if somehow every car owner agreed to universal tracking into telemetry and is totally fine with it.

Re: Removing the modem and GPS from my 2024 RAV4 hybrid

#433
post #46

I cannot imagine the paranoia that it would take for me to go through this process.

Step 1. Be very, very single When I was a younger man, audio visual forums used to have an unfortunately sexist, but fairly good conceptual measure they called “wife acceptance factor”. It should really just be partner acceptance factor. Regardless of whom you are with, I hope they would physically intervene before letting you do this. What is the point? All of these posts feel like they miss the forest for the trees…

So the authors goal is to reduce his car's ability to transmit his data to Toyota.

His solution: disconnect the cell modem

Your solution: Be single, never drive a car ever, and leave your phone at home.

?????

Re: Removing the modem and GPS from my 2024 RAV4 hybrid

#434

I was looking into this with Teslas. Apparently the car will not be bricked if you cut the antenna wires. They are in the side mirrors (both sides) and the wires are exposed when you pull the interior door panels. If you then charge only at home you’re even more private than gas cars, which must stop at gas stations with cameras. But both types of vehicles are easily spotted with Flock cameras. And if you keep your p…

If you think your Tesla is somehow more "private" then my pre-2010's ICE car with no tracking electronics, then you are delusional.

With no antennas, can a Tesla transmit anything at all?

BTW I don’t own a Tesla. My car is like yours, a pre-2010 gas minivan with zero tracking.

Our phones and roadside Flock cameras still rat out both kinds of vehicles. I suspect soon cameras in other cars will also be reporting our whereabouts.

Absolute privacy is almost impossible on public roads.

Re: Removing the modem and GPS from my 2024 RAV4 hybrid

#435

Be careful as there has been precedence of insurance companies using the fact cameras were removed/disabled to deny or reduce claims.

Yeah this would be different. Also let me tell you my approach so I disconnected my car's data connectivity unit and all that does is forward the signal from the cell antennas down to the main head unit. So by disconnecting it my car doesn't actually know that it cell service has been turned off it literally just thinks there is no signal right now.

Re: Removing the modem and GPS from my 2024 RAV4 hybrid

#436
post #111

Earlier quoted context omitted.

It's from the linked rav4world post

> One caveat, if you use bluetooth to connect your phone to the car DCM will use your phone to connect to the mother ship and presumably send your data. I only use my iPhone cable to connect to the car which does not have this effect. A random post on a forum is not evidence that Toyota has found a magic way to exfiltrate data over a bluetooth connection without turning on hotspot/etc.

If the car manufacturer got control of an app on the phone it is trivial to exfiltrate data via Bluetooth.

Re: Removing the modem and GPS from my 2024 RAV4 hybrid

#437

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Why is a self-driving car so important to you? Is it really worth giving up your privacy, and advocating that others should give up theirs, just for some shortcoming in your own capabilities?

Why should a self driving car need a network connection? It's an absurd false dichotomy. Certainly that's what will be produced if the manufacturers are allowed to get away with it but that's not a technical problem it's a social and legal one.

This wasn't @fc417fc802's dichotomy, it was the person above them who posted. They were responding to another comment which assumed this

Re: Removing the modem and GPS from my 2024 RAV4 hybrid

#438
post #429
post #423

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Needless to say, cars in the UK/EU have no such privacy invading features without an explicit opt-in thanks to sensible data protection legislation; including the GDPR. The FUD spouted on here by the scummy adtech industry about legislation to protect YOUR privacy is mind boggling. These are the people doing the digital equivalent of sniffing your underwear to work out what you had for breakfast. (And before somebody…

> (And before somebody shouts FUD about the UK/EU vehicle eCall 112 system, that certainly doesn't track you or seek to invade your privacy on any level!) How do you know? BTW, the checking all the opt-ins is usually the first thing the sales person does when selling a new car.

[flagged]

Re: Removing the modem and GPS from my 2024 RAV4 hybrid

#439
post #438
post #429

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> (And before somebody shouts FUD about the UK/EU vehicle eCall 112 system, that certainly doesn't track you or seek to invade your privacy on any level!) How do you know? BTW, the checking all the opt-ins is usually the first thing the sales person does when selling a new car.

[flagged]

Because no company has ever broken the law before

Re: Removing the modem and GPS from my 2024 RAV4 hybrid

#440
post #423

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Needless to say, cars in the UK/EU have no such privacy invading features without an explicit opt-in thanks to sensible data protection legislation; including the GDPR. The FUD spouted on here by the scummy adtech industry about legislation to protect YOUR privacy is mind boggling. These are the people doing the digital equivalent of sniffing your underwear to work out what you had for breakfast. (And before somebody…

I'm tempted to say "oh you sweet summer child", because it seems just unbelievable that the statement is true (in the sense that the small print in rental cars and sales contracts doesn't allow it, ot it's done by law enforcement agencies surrepticiously). But maybe it IS true. I know it's legally mandated.

> it seems just unbelievable that the statement is true

So do you think UK/EU vehicle manufactures are deliberately in mass breach of data privacy law... fully knowing the cost of a consumer backlash, fines and vehicle recall costs to fix any law breach?

Really?

It's genuinely amazing how many Americans on here (a tech news site!) are unaware of data privacy law and expectations outside their homeland.

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