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So let me the one asking the inevitable question: short of buying a 1987 van with the environmental impact of a refinery, what are new or reasonably recent bran

So let me the one asking the inevitable question: short of buying a 1987 van with the environmental impact of a refinery, what are new or reasonably recent brand/models whose electronics can be hacked to the point every non essential system can be turned off, when not physically removed, without any hindrance for normal driving operations?

DoingIsLearning 4y ago
It really depends on your level of commitment to getting the infotainment out of the vehicle. Most cars will have the infotainment in a CAN or flexray network with a bunch of other stuff in the cockpit. Theoretically unless other systems are tightly integrating with the infotainment (using their GPS localization data for example) you could theoretical just snif the network through your OBD connector and find out what messages your infotainment sends (i.e. whatever messages dissapear when you power the infotainment off). Most of the time the Body Control Module (the master of ceremonies in the cockpit) is just checking that a particular range of message IDs are being sent to 'assume' that the infotainment is 'online'. So sending those messages on the OBD port as a man-in-the-middle of sorts would theoretically keep all the other systems happy. So I suppose it really depends on how far you are willing to go. Also I think it would be difficult to make the trim look any good after removing the central infotainment system.
StanislavPetrov 4y ago
You don't need a 1987 van, anything before ~2007 should qualify. For example, I own a 2006 Honda. I made the mistake of leaving the windows open several years ago before a massive downpour. As a result, virtually all of my onboard electrical systems no longer function (radio, interior dashboard lights, ect) but the actual function of the car (as far as driving is concerned) is unchanged. I shudder to think about what would happen to a "smart" car in a similar situation.
neon_electro 4y ago
My hope is that as more "legit" EVs are scrapped due to insurance total loss decisions, their guts and parts will be heavily in demand to power EV conversions. I lost a 2018 Bolt EV this year after my insurance company decided it wasn't worth repairing. My car might not be the perfect candidate for this, but I know there will be parts worth scavenging off of it in the next life for the carcass. I sure hope to be able to perform one of these conversions myself in the future once the broader "swap infrastructure" and knowledge bases expand to better support individuals like myself (similar to how you can find a wealth of knowledge and aftermarket support for Honda K-series engine swaps into many cars beyond even Honda models).

DoingIsLearning 4y ago

It really depends on your level of commitment to getting the infotainment out of the vehicle. Most cars will have the infotainment in a CAN or flexray network with a bunch of other stuff in the cockpit. Theoretically unless other systems are tightly integrating with the infotainment (using their GPS localization data for example) you could theoretical just snif the network through your OBD connector and find out what messages your infotainment sends (i.e. whatever messages dissapear when you power the infotainment off). Most of the time the Body Control Module (the master of ceremonies in the cockpit) is just checking that a particular range of message IDs are being sent to 'assume' that the infotainment is 'online'. So sending those messages on the OBD port as a man-in-the-middle of sorts would theoretically keep all the other systems happy. So I suppose it really depends on how far you are willing to go. Also I think it would be difficult to make the trim look any good after removing the central infotainment system.

StanislavPetrov 4y ago

You don't need a 1987 van, anything before ~2007 should qualify. For example, I own a 2006 Honda. I made the mistake of leaving the windows open several years ago before a massive downpour. As a result, virtually all of my onboard electrical systems no longer function (radio, interior dashboard lights, ect) but the actual function of the car (as far as driving is concerned) is unchanged. I shudder to think about what would happen to a "smart" car in a similar situation.

neon_electro 4y ago

My hope is that as more "legit" EVs are scrapped due to insurance total loss decisions, their guts and parts will be heavily in demand to power EV conversions. I lost a 2018 Bolt EV this year after my insurance company decided it wasn't worth repairing. My car might not be the perfect candidate for this, but I know there will be parts worth scavenging off of it in the next life for the carcass. I sure hope to be able to perform one of these conversions myself in the future once the broader "swap infrastructure" and knowledge bases expand to better support individuals like myself (similar to how you can find a wealth of knowledge and aftermarket support for Honda K-series engine swaps into many cars beyond even Honda models).