Disabling Jeep's ability to communicate, and its implications

[BourbonRunner]

Is it too damned much to ask for a vehicle that isn't "smart?"

I'd pay $50K tomorrow for the equivalent of a Hilux technical with only enough electronic doodads to put the windows up and down and use the AC. Electronic fuel injection is about as far as I want it to go. I don't need to have a ding dong that tells the ding dong driving there is someone in a seat without a seat belt on, that my brakes are a little warmer than not, or that my trailer is connected.

Also, get off my lawn.

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[sharpsicle]

Obligatory reference

 

[DarthAWM]

Is it too damned much to ask for a vehicle that isn't "smart?"

I'd pay $50K tomorrow for the equivalent of a Hilux technical with only enough electronic doodads to put the windows up and down and use the AC. Electronic fuel injection is about as far as I want it to go. I don't need to have a ding dong that tells the ding dong driving there is someone in a seat without a seat belt on, that my brakes are a little warmer than not, or that my trailer is connected.

Also, get off my lawn.

Yes. The Government and at this point it also means Japan, EU, Australia, UK, US, and Canada require those ding dongs because they legislate to lowest common denominator. And that denominator pretty much needs someone to tie their shoe and feed them soup. Electric nannies aren't just not leaving soon, they are going to get worse.

 

[Undergrad-Peso]

I was reflecting on why I disliked that my car had this functionality so much -- beyond that it's being used against drivers. My phone and laptop spy on me to some degree but I accept that. I take certain actions against it, adblocks, AdNauseam, going through the motions of turning off non-necessary cookies when possible, VPN, etc., But it still spies on me. We all know this phenomenon or something similar: look up where to find off road trails on your phone, now you're getting On X Map ads on your computer or something to that effect. I settled on the idea that the car has zero business sharing this data. Without antenna, my phone and laptop are a paperweight and a glorified typewriter. Their use is substantially more limited by being offline. Services like this forum, like email, like most websites available, rely on advertisement and some degree of this data sharing -- but my ISP doesn't increase my rates because, say, I view too much adult content or because I download too many PDFs (data rates notwithstanding). This data hoarding and sharing isn't something I like, but it's something I have come to accept as a necessary trade-off for being able to access most of the internet free of immediate charge.

My car, on the other hand, has NO business collecting my data. None. It's disgusting. We pay upwards of $30K-$40K, sometimes closer to twice that, and these companies still require "additional revenue streams?" That's too far for me, and knowing that GM, Honda, Hyundai, and the other manufacturers are already selling this data tells me it won't be long before FCA/Stellantis get on that model, too. Used to be it was only Hulu that had ads even in a paid service. Now, Netflix has "Standard with Ads." Disney+ has a Basic structure with ads. I'm going to bet other manufacturers will start selling this data more and more. I remember YouTube having one ad at the beginning, and it could be skipped. Now you get two, and pray you don't get another midroll two as well. It hasn't ended and I don't believe it will end anytime soon, either.

I don't want a mediocre tablet bolted to my center console. I just want a damn car. Not a computer with 4 wheels bolted to it.

 

[FloridaMan655321]

To the OP, I mentioned in another thread that this was the very reason I wanted to stay at the lower end head unit when I ordered mine. I didn't want my data being sent. Obviously I was attacked for this thinking. I feel your pain.

 

[MassMopar]

Anybody actually read the Sirius XM Guardian Terms and Conditions?

" If you do not want any Vehicle Data to be collected through the Uconnect platform, or used, or shared by FCA US or Sirius XM, you may opt out by cancelling your services in their entirety by calling us at 1-844-796-4827 and ask to cancel Uconnect and SiriusXM Guardian Services for privacy reasons. "

 

[Reddog]

I haven't reached the level of tin-foil hats yet, and I really hope to avoid it. I know some data will always be given up. I can't detach myself from my phone and computers. But unlike those, I can modify my car and that's why I posted the question. If I can do something about it then I'd like to try. And before trying, I'd like to learn about it from others - hence this post.

I don't think it's conspiracy-level stuff anymore. I didn't care about it until the NYT article(https://www.nytimes.com/2024/03/11/technology/carmakers-driver-tracking-insurance.html) You can even request the data from the brokers: one is LexisNexis and the other is Verisk. It's not conspiracy, it's not hidden or clandestine, it's just plain as day and companies are hiding behind the "well, you agreed to send us this data by using the car in the first place." Fine - maybe I'll just disable the car's ability to send data at all.

Forcing everyone to go electric is going to result in some very bad outcomes. As it happens, what will happen to the road taxes added to the cost of gasoline and diesel? Something has to take their place and guess what, that is going to be a tax-per-mile fee so they can pay to fix roads. The only way they can collect it is to force car makers to give them the ability to monitor your miles driven each year. Think they will stop there? If they have the mileage the GPS tracking data will go along with the mileage as "proof" of miles driven and of every single location your vehicle has been. Not fiction, it's here.

 

[kevman65]

Ummmm, yeah. I don't believe it's just the 8.4".

Since when I bought my 2020 Rubi I was asked if I wanted to connect to Uconnect with my phone and use the app to monitor my JT or remote start or lock or unlock. It's a 7".

At the distances they were talking, that isn't bluetooth.

 

[40x40]

Imagine opening the car door to set the throttle, set the timing and set the choke before getting out the hand crank sticking it in the hole and give it a good turn, hoping that the gear shift was in neutral because you forgot to check when you were setting it up at the beginning.

We've come a long way. In 30 years, you will look back at a 2021 Gladiator and think how simple it was compared to a 2054 Aerotron.

which 2054 model? the one with or without the flux capacitor?

 

[40x40]

@OP: I'm a GenX who's first car was an Olds Cutlass Supreme with a wheezy Rochester carb and I have a penchant for old German iron. They're mechanical and electrical nightmares and very maintenance intensive. They need more attention than a Kardashian.... but I can't quit them.

I'm also with you- I hate the telematics. Our 2023 Bronco Sport asks every damned time if you want to turn it on or off. Drives me batty. I don't want anyone watching my car. Especially knowing what I do in that BMW.

ya know..... if you turn the the air cleaner lid upside you can really hear the secondaries open! my inner 16 year old. sorry.

 

[DarthAWM]

which 2054 model? the one with or without the flux capacitor?

NO, the one with the turbo encabulator

 

[Undergrad-Peso]

I just finished disconnecting the 4G module on the radio head unit. It's way easier than disconnecting both the antenna, and as someone else mentioned in this thread, eliminates the communication capabilities at the source. I used this thread for reference (How to: Disable uConnect 8.4 Cellular Intrusion). I disconnected the battery to do this task since I wasn't sure how much of the trim I was going to have to take off (it's only the HVAC controls, plus the bezel for the head unit. Nothing but a little patience, a plastic pry bar, and six screws).

Took her for a spin. Probably because of the battery disconnect, but when the radio head unit came back on, it'd lost its settings. Looked different, was missing off-road pages, and now the backup camera doesn't work. It worked before. Don't think I touched anything to do with the backup camera. A few JScan settings later and off-road pages is back. Backup camera isn't, but I'll deal with that a little later on this week

EDIT:
The camera's data cable looks identical to the ones used by the antenna. I left it unplug because I got confused. Off-road pages works fine and so does the camera.

 

[jmdwifi]

The only way to not have your information sold or tracked is to get off all social media (including this forum), get rid of your cell phone, and wear a mask in public.

 

[Mister Lamb]

The only way to not have your information sold or tracked is to get off all social media (including this forum), get rid of your cell phone, and wear a mask in public.

You resurrected this 6-month post for this?

 

[PuddleJumper]

You resurrected this 6-month post for this?

I literally came on to check in. Cus i was wondering, why we beating this dead horse again? I know some people are bored but GAWD DAYUM!

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