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Comment by samsullivan | Hacker News Reader

Your mileage went from VW->telematics vendor->broker->carfax, thats the chain it usually follows. The fuse stops it but the real issue is the owner is the only one without the record.

You could probably find some interesting info if you send out some privacy requests through the chain. LexisNexis and Verisk are consumer reporting agencies, so they have to provide you a disclosure on request. Start there.

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Is there usually a fuse that just turns off the telemetry? I would be surprised if that is the case. I could see the design being "if you turn this fuse off to turn off telemetry, you'll also lose these functions: ..." and if they did it "right" they'd make the car non-functional.

My car is from 2011 and I do wonder if there is any telemetry in it.

Yeah an electrical fuse for telemetry seems really odd. Even without malice it would be strange if disconnecting power to some part of the computer only affected telemetry.

I could see a fuse for cellular comms, be presumably that would also disable maps, contacting emergency services in an accident, etc. which might be an acceptable tradeoff.

My Ford has a dedicated fuse for accessory packages that include the modem. Mine doesn't have any other options that share that fuse so it is functionally the telemetry fuse.

Telemetry is usually a standalone module. Heres one off a 26 Hyundai Palisade -- Telematics (DCU) Part num: 96510P9100 firmware (OTA updatable) 01F.7.CAN.3.000.18.714.9

Its only job is to detect harsh acceleration and brake events. Probably being sold to your insurer.

There’s probably a fuse to turn off the cellular radio that transmits the data. Whether that’s all it covers may vary from car to car. Or in some models it’s probably possible to just disconnect the radio entirely.

Probably has something to do with the fact that car companies are obsessed with having the thing modularized, each module needing a fuse.

Just looked up my 2016 Toyota. My car has no telemetry module, and for cars that do there are companies that sell harnesses that plug into the module, terminating the antennas and/or cutting power without affecting anything else

So I first read this comment and thought is looked like AI and thought I’d give the benefit of the doubt. Then I saw this where there is no doubt: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=49687774

I thought, I wonder if it’s the same guy? Sure enough.

Stop it.

He did acknowledge he posted something similar elsewhere a few months ago. I found his comment useful.

andy99 isn't replying to my post here

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