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Comment by VHRanger | Hacker News Reader

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VHRanger·

Brand?

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Toyota.

I still had the sticker- I peeled it off and put it in the manual. The exact text is:

VEHICLE DATA TRANSMISSION IS ON! Your vehicle wirelessly transmits location, driving and vehicle health data to deliver your services and for internal research and data analysis. See www.toyota[.]com/privacyvts. To disable, press vehicle's SOS button.

Prepare to be creeped out:

https://www.toyota.com/privacyvts/

People seem to unaware of it:

https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2024/feb/08/toyot...

Yeah, right at the top

> We may modify this Privacy Notice by posting a new version at this website effective on the date of publication.

No actual notification needed. Are they screaming to be regulated?

Isn't this how all ToS work though? They all contain some clause that says "actually we reserve the right to do whatever we want whenever we want and everything you read here is meaningless"

Yep, and that's why physically defeating the device is always better than relying on the other party to honor their word. Disconnect the wireless module/board and they can't send your data.

I've physically disconnected the modem in my Audi, though when it goes to the dealer for a service (still under extended warranty) I cannot help but imagine that they download the data.

Similar experience but to be fair at least toyota has a big sticker. Other cars are doing it too and just not telling you. Either way, my next car is going to be a 90s land rover.

I found this Facebook group called "Low Miles No Miles"

https://www.facebook.com/groups/2066782386864241/

I was very surprised how many people there are who buy cars from the factory and immediately stored them, in the 1990's. In some cases the owners did not even remove any of the factory stickers or plastic.

This group must be showing just the tip of the iceberg.

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