4 ms·

Most new cars have features that require it such as onboard GPS, speed limits on the dash, OnStar and similar features.

forgetfreeman 2y ago
All bullshit my car shouldn't do in the first place.
tzs 2y ago
Those are mostly things that require the car to know its location. They don't require that the car share the location with the car's maker except possibly sharing what region the car is in. The region sharing might be needed to efficiently update things like the map and the speed limits.
NewJazz 2y ago
Niche feature that shouldn't affect any other part of the car's operation if it were turned off or nonfunctional due to modem hardware shutoff.
mulmen 2y ago
None of that requires cellular connectivity. It can and was accomplished using only wifi sync at home. Live traffic information is (was?) broadcast on AM radio.
- jazzyjackson 2y ago
  was it ever AM? info I can find points to traffic info being encoded in FM broadcast, as "audio" but above audible frequencies, 57khz, same as any metadata you get with modern digital radio - station name, song name, artist name etc. https://www.mediarealm.com.au/articles/fm-rds-radio-data-system-guide/ https://www.mediarealm.com.au/articles/fm-rds-radio-data-sys...
  - mulmen 2y ago
    Oh! Maybe it was FM. I always thought it was on the same band as the "Tune AM <whatever> for traffic information signs" but as you say outside the audible frequencies. Regardless the point is that the relevant information can be broadcast publicly and does not require location or cellular connectivity to function. My 2010 BMW knew about traffic jams but had no cellular connectivity to my knowledge.
    - jen20 2y ago
      Your 2010 BMW very likely did have cellular connectivity given that my 2008 model did. It might not work today though.
      - mulmen 2y ago
        It had the ability to call emergency services. But I don’t think it got map or traffic data through the cellular radio. If it was getting data through the cellular radio it wasn’t very much data.
jazzyjackson 2y ago
speed limits come from a database written alongside map data

All bullshit my car shouldn't do in the first place.

tzs 2y ago

Those are mostly things that require the car to know its location. They don't require that the car share the location with the car's maker except possibly sharing what region the car is in. The region sharing might be needed to efficiently update things like the map and the speed limits.

NewJazz 2y ago

Niche feature that shouldn't affect any other part of the car's operation if it were turned off or nonfunctional due to modem hardware shutoff.

mulmen 2y ago

None of that requires cellular connectivity. It can and was accomplished using only wifi sync at home. Live traffic information is (was?) broadcast on AM radio.

jazzyjackson 2y ago
was it ever AM? info I can find points to traffic info being encoded in FM broadcast, as "audio" but above audible frequencies, 57khz, same as any metadata you get with modern digital radio - station name, song name, artist name etc. https://www.mediarealm.com.au/articles/fm-rds-radio-data-system-guide/ https://www.mediarealm.com.au/articles/fm-rds-radio-data-sys...
- mulmen 2y ago
  Oh! Maybe it was FM. I always thought it was on the same band as the "Tune AM <whatever> for traffic information signs" but as you say outside the audible frequencies. Regardless the point is that the relevant information can be broadcast publicly and does not require location or cellular connectivity to function. My 2010 BMW knew about traffic jams but had no cellular connectivity to my knowledge.
  - jen20 2y ago
    Your 2010 BMW very likely did have cellular connectivity given that my 2008 model did. It might not work today though.
    - mulmen 2y ago
      It had the ability to call emergency services. But I don’t think it got map or traffic data through the cellular radio. If it was getting data through the cellular radio it wasn’t very much data.

jazzyjackson 2y ago

speed limits come from a database written alongside map data