Is Your S650 Spying on You?

[DCS]

I thought I saw a thread about this a while ago, but could not find it. This is about the new "Smart Cars" that are sharing your driving habits data with data brokers and eventually your insurance companies.

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[UNSAFE]

Hoping this can be disabled. Maybe an Ad-Blocker type implementation

 

[Decio]

Makes sense - my phone is listening to me all the time and pops up ads on things I've talked about but never searched for. I turned off all my data sharing settings on the Mustang. From the manual:

You can adjust several settings on the touchscreen under the connected vehicle features menu, such as:

• Vehicle connectivity.
• Share vehicle data.
• Share vehicle location.
• Share driving data.

https://www.fordservicecontent.com/...ingEnabled=False&userMarket=USA&buildtype=web

 

[Zig]

Btw: not a bombshell report. More like a oh look fine print report of the opt-in services.

 

[Zig]

TikTok goes the speeders clock. This is also how google provides real-time traffic status.

 

[DCS]

Makes sense - my phone is listening to me all the time and pops up ads on things I've talked about but never searched for. I turned off all my data sharing settings on the Mustang. From the manual:

You can adjust several settings on the touchscreen under the connected vehicle features menu, such as:

• Vehicle connectivity.
• Share vehicle data.
• Share vehicle location.
• Share driving data.

https://www.fordservicecontent.com/...ingEnabled=False&userMarket=USA&buildtype=web

Thanks for the link. When I get my car, that will be the first place I check out.

 

[The Ghost]

I know mine is. Every time I walk towards it, it starts to light up as if it's saying "Drive me! Drive me!"

 

[Zig]

Another reported showed various ‘guilty’ manufacturers but didn’t list the hometown favorite.

 

[Dave2013M3]

All modern cars collect telemetry, so yes your car is spying on you. I am not sure what you have to do with the S650 but their was a way to disable the modem with the S550.

 

[Skye]

If you go to Page 292 in the 2024 Owners Manual, you'll be given a map of the Body Control Module (BCM)-A unit fuse panel. Fuse #8 is in-line with powering the car's Telematics Control Unit. Removing that fuse will disable the systems and software of concern, without affecting the drivability of the car.

If you use the Ford Pass App, you will lose functionality with that app. Ford Pass uses Telematics to talk to the car and retrieve information.

https://www.fordpro.com/en-us/telematics/

The system, software and feature has been part of Ford and other manufacturers for years.

Edit: anyone "racing" doing autocross or anything like that, pull the fuse before going out.

 

[DCS]

If you go to Page 292 in the 2024 Owners Manual, you'll be given a map of the Body Control Module (BCM)-A unit fuse panel. Fuse #8 is in-line with powering the car's Telematics Control Unit. Removing that fuse will disable the systems and software of concern, without affecting the drivability of the car.

If you use the Ford Pass App for features or data involving your car, you will lose functionality with that app. Ford Pass uses Telematics to talk to the car.

https://www.fordpro.com/en-us/telematics/

The system, software and feature has been part of Ford and other manufacturers for years.

Interesting. Too bad you can't disable it thru software.

 

[Skye]

Too bad you can't disable it thru software.

If FORSCAN-like access is later achieved, it could be turned-off that way.

As @Decio mentioned, there are User Interface options available now.

Personally, I like the fuse. There's no way anyone is listening with it physically turned off.

Some find the module itself and remove it or disconnect it. It's whatever anyone is comfortable with. In the S550, the Telematics Control Unit is in the trunk. The cell antennas are in the left and right bumper sections.

 

[Skye]

This thread highlights another topic: user data. The car is capable of saving Wi-Fi password hashes, cell provider data, phone lists, navigation references and all that. I haven't looked into it, but the S650 should give the option to factory-default all infotainment systems, erase all your data, so as to prepare the car for sale.

 

[DCS]

This thread highlights another topic: user data. The car is capable of saving Wi-Fi password hashes, cell provider data, phone lists, navigation references and all that. I haven't looked into it, but the S650 should give the option to factory-default all infotainment systems, erase all your data, so as to prepare the car for sale.

Good point!

 

[Ryunker]

Not mine, turned off "connected vehicle" first thing upon delivery.

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