Vanishing from Hyundai’s data network
Anxiety about “computers on wheels”
- Many commenters fear the day their simple ICE car dies and they’re “forced” into software-heavy, cloud‑connected vehicles with short support lifetimes.
- There’s nostalgia for pre‑telematics cars that can be kept running indefinitely with mechanical skill and a machine shop.
- Several people now explicitly avoid buying new cars due to embedded connectivity and opaque software control.
Smartphone integration vs OEM infotainment
- Some see Android Auto / CarPlay as the least‑bad option: move complexity to a replaceable phone, keep the car as a “dumb display + buttons.”
- Others warn this is changing: CarPlay Ultra and deep OEM integrations blur lines, potentially centralizing even the instrument cluster in the phone ecosystem.
- Debate over whether CarPlay Ultra renders on the phone or in-car, and how safety regulators would view phone‑rendered critical displays.
- GM’s removal of CarPlay/AA (at least in US EVs) and Lexus forcing users into their app are cited as anti‑user moves.
Connectivity, surveillance, and security
- Strong concern about constant tracking: cellular modems, OEM apps, data sales to insurers and others.
- Some argue that if a car is offline and static, lack of updates is fine and safer than network exposure.
- Others note security‑critical systems (immobilizers, keyless entry) may need patches, but some say the only real fix is to remove such features.
DIY disabling of telematics and attack surface
- The Hyundai teardown is praised as a model: physically removing the modem is seen as vastly reducing attack surface.
- Suggestions include cutting or loading antennas, but some note hidden backup antennas and complex RF paths.
- There are reports of cars that won’t start or misbehave if the telematics unit is removed, making such hacks risky.
Legal, regulatory, and eCall tensions
- In the EU, mandatory eCall complicates disabling microphones and modems; some argue it’s a safety feature, others see it as unwanted surveillance.
- Frustration with post‑purchase “click‑to-accept” T&Cs pushed via OTA updates; several question their legality and call for regulators or courts to invalidate such one‑sided changes.
- Ideas floated: huge government bug bounties with punitive fines, stronger right‑to‑repair and privacy rules, and clearer pre‑sale disclosure.
Alternatives and workarounds
- Strategies include: buying older, simpler cars; favoring models with minimal telematics; maintaining “fleets of antiques”; converting ICE to EV with open hardware; or shifting to low‑tech bikes and e‑bikes (though even e‑bikes are starting to get “smart”).