Removing the modem and GPS from my 2024 RAV4 hybrid
Modern cars like the 2024 Toyota RAV4 hybrid now ship with always‑on cellular modems and GPS that feed detailed driving telemetry back to manufacturers, prompting some owners to physically remove or disable these modules. Commenters weigh the privacy gains of cutting connectivity against trade‑offs such as losing over‑the‑air updates, SOS functions, and potential warranty or inspection issues, and note that phones, CarPlay/Android Auto, and even public cameras can still enable tracking. The thread broadens into a critique of data‑harvesting business models, the limits of individual technical workarounds, and calls for stronger privacy legislation and “dumb,” repairable vehicles.
Overall reaction
- Many commenters praise the write-up and want similar guides for other models (Toyotas, Subarus, Kias, Rivians, Teslas, etc.).
- Others think the effort is “foil-hat” territory and prefer to accept telemetry for convenience (navigation, OTA updates, SOS, remote climate, etc.).
Privacy, telemetry, and data use
- Strong concern that modern cars resemble “smart TVs”: high purchase price plus ongoing monetization via behavioral data.
- Several point to existing evidence of automakers sharing driving data with insurers; some note specific opt‑in programs and dealer pressure to enroll buyers in apps.
- Others argue EU/UK privacy law (GDPR, eCall rules) should prevent pervasive tracking without explicit consent, but multiple automotive/EE commenters strongly dispute that in practice and claim “every car with GPS+cell reports telemetry.”
- Some see this as a systemic problem only solvable by regulation; others advocate individual resistance (older cars, cash, dumbphones, avoiding apps).
Technical methods and risks
- Approaches discussed:
- Physically removing or bypassing the telematics module (DCM) or its fuse.
- Disconnecting or terminating antennas, or adding dummy loads / resistors.
- Using CAN tools to observe/inject traffic; some note CAN encryption and bus segmentation.
- Caveats:
- Telematics units may have internal batteries, still log data, and affect other functions (e.g., in‑car mic, SOS, eCall).
- Some fear future certificate‑based security schemes could eventually lock out cars that don’t phone home.
- Modifications might create insurance or inspection issues in some jurisdictions.
Bluetooth, CarPlay/Android Auto, and data paths
- A key disputed claim: that, even with the modem removed, a Bluetooth‑paired phone can provide the car an internet connection and restore telemetry.
- Thread notes:
- Bluetooth PAN/tethering exists; some cars and head units use it or create Wi‑Fi via CarPlay/Android Auto.
- On many phones, tethering must be explicitly enabled; some report Kias/Toyotas auto‑using phone data, others are skeptical and call for packet captures.
- Consensus: wired CarPlay/Android Auto avoids using the phone as a data pipe for the car, but Apple/Google may still collect vehicle telemetry themselves.
Broader attitudes and alternatives
- Some argue partial defenses (removing modem, using older cars, GrapheneOS, cash) are still valuable even if other tracking persists.
- Others emphasize the futility of full anonymity given telecoms, payment data, cameras, and upcoming mandates (backup cameras, AEB, eCall).
- There is recurring desire for “dumb,” modular, or open‑source cars, but skepticism that such products are commercially viable.