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One of my major requirements when I was shopping for my last car was that it not have a cell modem to enable connected car features. It's too difficult for the

by Seenso 7y ago

One of my major requirements when I was shopping for my last car was that it not have a cell modem to enable connected car features. It's too difficult for them to monetize your data if they can't get it off your car in near-real time. I also reckon it's a bit more secure. The car salesmen have no idea about whether the cars they're selling have modems or not, so I found you have to ask about them indirectly in terms of features. I has success with this line of questioning: 1) Does this car have connected car features? 2) If it does, and I decide to get them later, can you enable them from your computer without me having to bring my car in? If the answer is yes to both questions, the car has a modem. Unfortunately, my wife wanted a car that failed that test. However, my research had indicated that those features seem to be implemented by a module that's separate from the entertainment system. Hopefully I can physically disconnect it without the car nagging about it being missing, but that's a project for another day.

gambler 7y ago
>Hopefully I can physically disconnect it without the car nagging about it being missing Don't count on it. Physically locating it and disconnecting it might be very difficult. Worse, since the module in networked via CAN, you literally have no idea how the rest of your car will react. It could switch to limp mode, for example.
- Seenso 7y ago
  > Don't count on it. Physically locating it and disconnecting it might be very difficult. I already know where it is: it's in a box underneath the entertainment system ("head unit"), and there are a lot of instructions about accessing it. I also have two options for disconnecting it: 1) total disconnection 2) leave it connected, but cripple its function by removing the antenna connections I'm thinking that if #1 results in an error #2 would be less likely to.
  - namibj 7y ago
    Better: unscrew the antenna and screw in a matched termination/load instead. This will protect the amplifier inside (HF reflections due to a miss match could fry it with overloading the transistor), and be an even worse antenna compared to an open SMA (or such) connector.
throw0101a 7y ago
> One of my major requirements when I was shopping for my last car was that it not have a cell modem to enable connected car features. The EU's eCall would like to have a word: * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ECall https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ECall

by Seenso 7y ago

gambler 7y ago

>Hopefully I can physically disconnect it without the car nagging about it being missing Don't count on it. Physically locating it and disconnecting it might be very difficult. Worse, since the module in networked via CAN, you literally have no idea how the rest of your car will react. It could switch to limp mode, for example.

Seenso 7y ago
> Don't count on it. Physically locating it and disconnecting it might be very difficult. I already know where it is: it's in a box underneath the entertainment system ("head unit"), and there are a lot of instructions about accessing it. I also have two options for disconnecting it: 1) total disconnection 2) leave it connected, but cripple its function by removing the antenna connections I'm thinking that if #1 results in an error #2 would be less likely to.
- namibj 7y ago
  Better: unscrew the antenna and screw in a matched termination/load instead. This will protect the amplifier inside (HF reflections due to a miss match could fry it with overloading the transistor), and be an even worse antenna compared to an open SMA (or such) connector.

throw0101a 7y ago

> One of my major requirements when I was shopping for my last car was that it not have a cell modem to enable connected car features. The EU's eCall would like to have a word: * https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ECall https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ECall