Thanks a lot for your post ! The future of cars looks grim.
Serious and naive question: how could I get rid of the tracking at the hardware level when I will have no choice other than to buy a connected car?
Is there an antenna or a SIM card somewhere that I could disconnect/remove? Would the car continue to work if the connection to the manufacturer’s server is lost?
For recent cars I am afraid you are right. My current and “old” car has a built in navigation system with the map on an SD-card. No need for a connection to a smartphone - which I do not own. Therefore I suppose it is not communicating with the manufacturer.
Then, someone in my family with a more recent car got several “firmware updates” out of the blue, hinting to a ‘permanent’ connection to the manufacturer.
I have the feeling we need to start organizing and claim a “right to disconnection”. Having the car dial for help after a crash is one thing but what Mozilla’s report describes is at another, much higher level.
I can’t speak for the more modern cars, but my 2019 corolla had a cell phone connection which could be cut by pulling a single fuse. Idunno if it’s a universal name, but it was called the DCM module. The emergency button in the roof was wired through it, and so was one of the right speakers and the built-in microphone. None of them work with the fuse removed. I’ll route the speaker and mic wires around it at some point by going through the glove box, but it hasn’t been a priority for me.
Cars are built in modules, so there is definitely something you could disconnect to prevent it phoning home. You might need to take the dashboard apart though.
There is nothing preventing the car from starting and running without it. As long as you have a key fob it will attempt to start.
Thanks! Knowing that what I might be searching for would be somewhere under the dashboard is a good first step.
Then I am not an engineer nor have any experience in electronics BUT I know from my dad that taking the dashboard apart is not an easy task. If I would succeed I do not know what I would be looking for… Would tan antenna look like a piece of wire? Or could it be embedded in the ‘copper’ circuitry of a PCB? Do cars use regular SIM cards like the ones found in phones or would they look different?
The maintenance manual would probably be a good place to start before trying to put anything apart.
Every platform is different. The maintenance manual won’t tell you as it’s not part of maintenance. If you really want a piece of literature then you’ll need a factory service manual, but no offense if you don’t know what you’re doing you WILL cause damage to your vehicle (or even yourself if you accidentally mess with the airbags)
Valid point, no offense taken. I did not think about the airbags! As for damages to the vehicle, this is something I understand an am willing to accept. If I do stupid things I have to face consequences.
Anyway, getting the help of a mechanic would be point number 1 on my list. If can find one willing to take the challenge :)
Thanks a lot for your post ! The future of cars looks grim.
Serious and naive question: how could I get rid of the tracking at the hardware level when I will have no choice other than to buy a connected car?
Is there an antenna or a SIM card somewhere that I could disconnect/remove? Would the car continue to work if the connection to the manufacturer’s server is lost?
No idea, but for starters say goodbye to navigation, it likely uses an internet connection
Built-in nav is trash, anyway. I’ve always used my phone.
For recent cars I am afraid you are right. My current and “old” car has a built in navigation system with the map on an SD-card. No need for a connection to a smartphone - which I do not own. Therefore I suppose it is not communicating with the manufacturer.
Then, someone in my family with a more recent car got several “firmware updates” out of the blue, hinting to a ‘permanent’ connection to the manufacturer.
I have the feeling we need to start organizing and claim a “right to disconnection”. Having the car dial for help after a crash is one thing but what Mozilla’s report describes is at another, much higher level.
I can’t speak for the more modern cars, but my 2019 corolla had a cell phone connection which could be cut by pulling a single fuse. Idunno if it’s a universal name, but it was called the DCM module. The emergency button in the roof was wired through it, and so was one of the right speakers and the built-in microphone. None of them work with the fuse removed. I’ll route the speaker and mic wires around it at some point by going through the glove box, but it hasn’t been a priority for me.
https://www.toyotanation.com/threads/how-do-i-locate-the-dcm-telematics-unit-on-a-2020-corolla.1693507/#post-14400614
I’m happy i did that too. Apparently toyota is still leaking the location history of a bunch of their cars and i’d hate to see that get abused.
Cars are built in modules, so there is definitely something you could disconnect to prevent it phoning home. You might need to take the dashboard apart though.
There is nothing preventing the car from starting and running without it. As long as you have a key fob it will attempt to start.
Thanks! Knowing that what I might be searching for would be somewhere under the dashboard is a good first step.
Then I am not an engineer nor have any experience in electronics BUT I know from my dad that taking the dashboard apart is not an easy task. If I would succeed I do not know what I would be looking for… Would tan antenna look like a piece of wire? Or could it be embedded in the ‘copper’ circuitry of a PCB? Do cars use regular SIM cards like the ones found in phones or would they look different?
The maintenance manual would probably be a good place to start before trying to put anything apart.
Every platform is different. The maintenance manual won’t tell you as it’s not part of maintenance. If you really want a piece of literature then you’ll need a factory service manual, but no offense if you don’t know what you’re doing you WILL cause damage to your vehicle (or even yourself if you accidentally mess with the airbags)
Valid point, no offense taken. I did not think about the airbags! As for damages to the vehicle, this is something I understand an am willing to accept. If I do stupid things I have to face consequences.
Anyway, getting the help of a mechanic would be point number 1 on my list. If can find one willing to take the challenge :)
+1, I’d really like to know the answer to this too.