Context:

I don’t want the car reporting to insurance hard breaks and such. But frankly I just find these things creepy and I just want a base model car.

  • @Num10ck@lemmy.world
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    39 hours ago

    financially aim for minimal depreciation. typically thats buying a 3 year old car and selling it when its 6 or 7. try to find total cost of ownership data to minimize repair costs.

    practically find one that suits your needs.

  • @WhyJiffie@sh.itjust.works
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    511 hours ago

    Don’t forget that even if you can disable its network connection (which is still an important step to avoid remote control shenanigans), the data collection may still continue, and if that’s the case the make’s diagnostic software will forward it to the cloud the next time your car is at service. I’m afraid that can’t be avoided.

    • ERROR: Earth.exe has crashed
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      29 hours ago

      There are individual car repair shops. Well if you trust them to not sell the data, a trust that can be betrayed at any time.

  • @TheOSINTguy@sh.itjust.works
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    1920 hours ago

    I only saw a few people saying this, but buy a used car from anywtime-2012 max.

    Make sure that car is in good shape, has been up to date on oil changes and was well taken care of. And if you wants some newer car features, adding in a newer stereo could do the trick.

    But get used to learning how to fix your car because less cars will be made that meet your requirements. Meaning that if you don’t to sacrifice privacy for a new car when yours breaks down, be ready to fix it.

    • Rikudou_SageA
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      119 hours ago

      I have a 2014 car and it’s dumb as hell.

      • skulblaka
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        113 hours ago

        Depends on the car. A Toyota? Yeah, probably. BMW is a no go. So are “luxury” side brands like Lexus.

  • monovergent 🏁
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    1320 hours ago

    The effort needed to neuter surveillance equipment in modern cars without compromising functionality is comparable to the effort of sprucing up an older car. Possibly biased from driving and maintaining a decades-old car. Is there a particular reason you prefer a modern car?

  • @Duamerthrax@lemmy.world
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    111 hours ago

    Check make/models online to see if there’s a fuse you can pull that powers the telemetry computer. Sometimes the telemetry is part of a combined computer unit. Sometimes it’s an isolated computer unit.

  • @vvv@programming.dev
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    1723 hours ago

    There’s no way you’re “covering up” an antenna. Frequently the antenna is the body of the car itself.

    Look up the fuse box layout of the car model you’re interested in to check if the communication system is on a separate fuse that you can pull without disabling anything else useful.

  • Lime Buzz
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    181 day ago

    Don’t get a tesla for one, apart from that try not to get any that has internet or other services if you can.

  • @nicerdicer@feddit.org
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    824 hours ago

    Maintaining privacy in a (new) car might be difficult. Maybe by emitting white noise with an external bluetooth speaker so that possible microphones can’t pick up voices easily?

    The problem with privacy in a new car is that there is nothing much one can do about it. Even if it were possible by altering the cars’ software (think of something like the equivalent of a browser extension for your car), this might pose a problem in case of an accident (the insurance will try to refuse compensation, because the cars’ software has been altered and thus, the car is deemed to be not road safe).

    One thing to aviod this problem would be to buy an older, used car. With that, there wouldn’t be any issues regarding privacy, but mainaining the car might be more expensive, as older cars often have worse emission standards, which can result in higher taxes, depending on where you are located. Also, older cars might have a worse fuel effiency than new cars, depending on the size, weight and engine power of the car. An old economic compact car might have the same fuel efficiency as the latest doomsday street tank.

    My personal advice: a used compact car, not older than five years (the older the car, the more repairs might come up, also there is a chance that a car this age already has a USB port for connecting a thumb drive or phone equipped with music), but with rear doors. Having two additional doors is an underrated feature that not only comes in handy when you pick up some friends, but they also serve as additional loading hatches that are accessible from both sides of the car.

  • @dan1101@lemm.ee
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    423 hours ago

    Is there a way to disable the cellular antenna? Vehicle have to be prepared for dead spots. Maybe yours is always in a dead spot.

  • ERROR: Earth.exe has crashed
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    220 hours ago

    I’m sorry to say this, but I don’t think you can really maintain privacy.

    Sure, maybe you can disable some antennas to stop your location from being broadcast, but there are cameras in ever major road, so you cant get far without being spotted by a camera. Cars can also store data locally, then if you take your to the dealership, they will access the data. So you’d have to find an individual car mechanic that doesn’t read this data, and at anytime, they can betray your trust. Not to mention, your phone is kinda already tracking you, so you’d have to turn that off as well, even dumbphones still have cellular triangulation and has even worse security. And whenever you need to use your phone, the carrier will know where you are.

    So I think in the modern world with all these cameras, you kinda have to accept that you ain’t gonna get much privacy.

    Or the alterative is to not have a phone on you when you travel, take public transport, cover your face, etc.

    If you want privacy, you’ll have to sacrifice convienience.

  • @LoveSausage@lemmy.ml
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    9 hours ago

    Lots of stuff here but for something useful.

    Get a radio /cellular disruptor /signal jammer you plug in the cigg outlet. Wont be able to listen to radio or use your phone.

    Old car if possible.

    If not a basic Dacia is the least bad of the new ones.

    • @ByteOnBikes@slrpnk.net
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      513 hours ago

      Signal jammers are trackable. If you drive the same routes, the disruption is an easy pattern.

      Also it causes other issues (like with medical vehicles/first responders) and is a federal crime. But whatever.