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For many cars it's relatively straight-forward to disable the cellular modem, and sometimes it won't impact the other functionality of the car at all. Chances

For many cars it's relatively straight-forward to disable the cellular modem, and sometimes it won't impact the other functionality of the car at all. Chances are someone in a forum somewhere has done the legwork for you. Do a google search and realize how easy (or hard) it is to do for your vehicle. Most of the time it won't even impact your warranty, apart from the modem you've purposefully disabled and no longer care about.

grugagag 3y ago
Sure, but once it becomes widespread it will no longer be possible to do so on newer models.
- LeoPanthera 3y ago
  I don't think this is true. In theory you could embed the cellular modem into the mainboard, or even into the processor, but I would bet for ease of service that the modem will always be on a separate board somewhere that can be cut off. They would never make the car reliant on cellular service or it would just stop working whenever you didn't have a signal - or the modem died.
- kelnos 3y ago
  How would the manufacturer enforce this? The first time someone gets stranded somewhere because the cellular hardware died and the car refused to start... well, sounds like a huge lawsuit to me.
- JohnFen 3y ago
  There will always be an antenna somewhere. Remove/destroy that, or put a faraday cage around it, and it doesn't matter what the manufacturer wants.
noman-land 3y ago
FYI, you can get the user manual of the car and find where the fuses are. One of the fuses will likely control the cellular system. Pull the fuse, no more data.
russdill 3y ago
Ok, but what about when you take it in for service and the first step in the service manual is to verify connectivity, which they do. There car then uploads it's backlog of data.
- OnlineGladiator 3y ago
  To each their own, but my recommendation is to not go to the dealer after buying the car (unless it's to fix something expensive covered under warranty). I recommend finding a good mechanic. That said, I'm not pretending this is a perfect solution. But it's good enough for me and it can probably help other people as well.
WirelessGigabit 3y ago
Except that is the same modem that is used to call emergency services when you get into an accident.
- JohnFen 3y ago
  True, but that's something I'd happily do without in exchange for not being spied on.
  - DANmode 3y ago
    It's sad that some of us even feel compelled to assess this tradeoff. I feel for you.
- soultrees 3y ago
  It’s not ‘when’ it’s ‘if’. And let’s be honest here, if you get into an accident, someone else is already calling 911 as well. So in exchange for being spied, your data sold to third parties (likely), and knowing every place you visit at every time and know your movement patterns better than anyone, you get the protection of someone calling you, (if it’s a serious accident you’re probably not answering and if you’re answering, you can probably dial a cellphone. At least 9/10 of the 1/100000 chances of a serious accident). Just curious if the trade off is still worth it for you? I don’t know, I know I don’t.

grugagag 3y ago

Sure, but once it becomes widespread it will no longer be possible to do so on newer models.

LeoPanthera 3y ago
I don't think this is true. In theory you could embed the cellular modem into the mainboard, or even into the processor, but I would bet for ease of service that the modem will always be on a separate board somewhere that can be cut off. They would never make the car reliant on cellular service or it would just stop working whenever you didn't have a signal - or the modem died.
kelnos 3y ago
How would the manufacturer enforce this? The first time someone gets stranded somewhere because the cellular hardware died and the car refused to start... well, sounds like a huge lawsuit to me.
JohnFen 3y ago
There will always be an antenna somewhere. Remove/destroy that, or put a faraday cage around it, and it doesn't matter what the manufacturer wants.

noman-land 3y ago

FYI, you can get the user manual of the car and find where the fuses are. One of the fuses will likely control the cellular system. Pull the fuse, no more data.

russdill 3y ago

Ok, but what about when you take it in for service and the first step in the service manual is to verify connectivity, which they do. There car then uploads it's backlog of data.

OnlineGladiator 3y ago
To each their own, but my recommendation is to not go to the dealer after buying the car (unless it's to fix something expensive covered under warranty). I recommend finding a good mechanic. That said, I'm not pretending this is a perfect solution. But it's good enough for me and it can probably help other people as well.

WirelessGigabit 3y ago

Except that is the same modem that is used to call emergency services when you get into an accident.

JohnFen 3y ago
True, but that's something I'd happily do without in exchange for not being spied on.
- DANmode 3y ago
  It's sad that some of us even feel compelled to assess this tradeoff. I feel for you.
soultrees 3y ago
It’s not ‘when’ it’s ‘if’. And let’s be honest here, if you get into an accident, someone else is already calling 911 as well. So in exchange for being spied, your data sold to third parties (likely), and knowing every place you visit at every time and know your movement patterns better than anyone, you get the protection of someone calling you, (if it’s a serious accident you’re probably not answering and if you’re answering, you can probably dial a cellphone. At least 9/10 of the 1/100000 chances of a serious accident). Just curious if the trade off is still worth it for you? I don’t know, I know I don’t.