So, here's the deal. The cars you see as "simple EFI", like 90s/00s cars, are still highly computerized. My 2008 Sienna has at least 10 different computers, yet has none of the "smart" stuff and no serial/VIN pairing... Well, except maybe like the security module, but nobody gives a shit about that and it can be tuned out anyway.

This era of vehicle is my favorite to tinker with, because in my own career I specialize in low voltage electronic systems, automation, mechanical systems, and making it all play nice together from a computer.

(Proofreading Lka1988 here - long tangent warning)

Well it turns out that vehicles made from the mid-2000s through the mid-to-late 2010s is perfect for someone like me. I have two Toyotas: the aforementioned Sienna, and a 2015 Highlander. Both have the same engine, the legendary 2GR-FE V6, based in the same platform (Camry), yet drive completely differently in terms of engine control and the precision of it.

• The Highlander has a beautiful, smooth as silk U660F 6-speed and glides through the gears up to speed.

• Meanwhile, the Sienna just absolutely fucking freight-trains itself to speed through the ever-clunky U151E 5-speed with 277k original miles and a sporadic ATF/filter change thrown in for good measure.

I've added a bunch of factory upgrade shit to the Sienna for dirt cheap thanks to junkyards. Adding fog lights just needed the lights themselves, the appropriate headlight stalk, and hey, might as well grab the light sensor from this XLE over here and it's headlight stalk....aaaand now I have fully automatic headlights and fog lights for $40. The harness was already provisioned for it. All the computers needed was to see the components. Worked the first time, 100% factory. I did this with the optional power inverter, auto dimming rear view mirror, all of the optional steering wheel buttons, hood latch sensor, and a bunch more factory shit that I forgot about because I did it so soon.

Anyway, this isn't the first vehicle I've done this to. I added additional factory steering wheel buttons to my former 2013 Caravan, so its aftermarket Pioneer headunit and the iDatalink module had more input controls to program. Which I did.

Point is, all of these cars never had a single problem with their electronic throttles, or any part of the computer systems that wasn't blatantly user error. In fact, the only kind of problem I've ever had with any of that kind of vehicle was a mechanical problem. The Caravan's transmission shit itself around 100k or so. The Sienna's power door cable snapped around 250k. I fixed it with improved parts from eBay for $30. The Highlander.... Ehhhh... it's only got 127k and hasn't given us a single issue in our many years of ownership. I get why people tend to keep them the longest...

Although, I think I got you beat. My 1980 Mercedes 240D has 483k miles, and change. It just shat a valve guide. Still ran though. And I get why people love these things, they are stupid simple to work on. I had the freakishly-heavy cylinder head off in 3 hours. From "hood closed" to "head on my workbench". I took my time, too. This is a SOHC diesel, mind you, so there's also timing chain I had to worry about.

Ray ban should get a lot more trouble for this. They are accepting that meta uses their design (maybe they did even design the whole chassis for the components). Now you can blend in when wearing one of those cams.

So this would work with facial recognition and sharing the complete school database with the manufacturer, in this case meta, including attendance and any learning disabilities?

It does sound convenient but the privacy trade-off is never worth it imo. None of these companies seem to be developing something that runs locally, they’re all about being “connected”.

Well, on the bright side, that sounds like something that could be preserved into a device that makes it a lot more obvious when it's working, or without the recording features at all. And hopefully we get stuff like that and soon!

We need a judge to set precident. If I did what flock dose, I would be called a stalker, get a restraining order, maybe be arrested..... But flock gets away with it because its a mesh of cameras. We need to adjust the privacy laws in public to say constant electronic surveillance is illegal and akin to personal stalking.

I mean, those are a thing that can describe one’s surroundings and objects around them or assist in handling certain objects. And for people with impaired hearing - subtitles for what people around say can be displayed.

These are life changing technologies for some disabled people, but alas - we’ve got the least privacy-concerned company to spearhead the progress in this regard.

It's a glimmer of hope in an ocean of sewage. I'll fucking take it. Thanks for the TLDR

Seriously. I'm working as a substitute teacher right now. It would be amazing if I could pop on a pair of smart glasses and have some limited augmented reality capabilities. I would love to look across a classroom and see the names of all the students floating about their head. Maybe with some key notes (like IEP restrictions, notes from the teacher, etc.)

But I've never seen this actually implemented by any of the companies pushing these.

Did they actually launch them with helpful technology in that vein? That is news to me!

There are few legitimate use cases for smart glasses with cameras tho - it’s very helpful for visually impaired people. Really sad too see such things overshadowed by sea of perverts.

What? LMAO

Ya i know what junkyards are, just went there a few weeks ago. Good luck getting many working electronic components that have been sitting in the rain and sun.

Also, nothing feels as good and snappy as a cable. Electronic are laggy as fuck.

I can also guarantee I can do more on my 90s car than you can in your garage with any vehicle made after 2016, with affordable tools.

I agree with you on safety, different issue. Seatbelts dobt mean we need a GPS and internet capable car filled with screens. Thats just idiocy pedaled by car mfgs.

I still don't agree we need all this bullshit in cars when they were perfected in the 90s. All you need is efi and abs breaks if you dont want to be maintaining a carb and be relatively safe. The issue is now cars are wayyyy to computerized and you can't even replace your throttle module and or tps without a dealer locked computer. Thats what I'm saying here. Computerizing cars leads to this always, so better to leave them mechanical where they CAN'T ever control what I do with my vehicle.

I just dont understand the defense of new vehicles, myself. They all suck (and are all hideous and huge) and if you gave me the choice between new 1999 Tacoma and 2027 Tacoma, I'll take the 99 EVERY time 0 questions asked (*with frame rust coating, ofc).

¡Interesting!

I don't agree. And yes I understand the differences but I was grouping them together for simplicity.

OK cool, you go make a tps sensor or a stepper motor TB and I'll go make a throttle cable. Let's see who can do it far easier. Answer: a fucking cable.

You can keep your new rolling spyware computer cars that require a dealer computer to change oil. Not me.

Do you hate right to repair or what?

These never needed to exist

Unencrypted iot. They will never learn. Or maybe it's on purpose.

Ok, I get you mean, but what is the point in waiting? You rightly said that the laws will come one way or another, so why even wait for them? The sooner the struggle begins and the more the public is aware, the bigger pur chance to fight back. If we wait until the thing is illegal to act, anyone trying to resist will have a harder time, because they will be doing it alone.

Oohhhh, who lives in a pineapple under the sea?

i'm not interested in Twitter. I am interested in software repos like github. Those must be the front runners on implementing ekyc.

There are kits you can get that pretend to be a valid modem to your car, so that you can disable the modem without losing any other features. They are usually between $50 to $100

Good work!

Editor: Hace you looked into doing facebook for developers? The age checo there is draconic

Cache invalidation is hard :/

You think government has speed to patch one hole before next discovered... you know how fast they are? One hole will take multiple year to even adress.